Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Middle Cullen Lake Fishing guide
Middle Cullen Lake is a 405-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 48 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 16.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2023Fair numbers3.2per gill net17"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 48 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 48 fish
2021Lengths measured · 16 fish
2015Lengths measured · 18 fish
2009Lengths measured · 39 fish
2003Largemouth bassGood numbers65per hr (electrofishing)8"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 82 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 82 fish
2021Lengths measured · 41 fish
2015Lengths measured · 57 fish
2009Lengths measured · 256 fish
2003Northern pikeGood numbers10.6per gill net20"Typical39"Biggest
Lengths measured · 96 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 96 fish
2021Lengths measured · 76 fish
2015Lengths measured · 40 fish
2009Lengths measured · 42 fish
2003BluegillJust a few4.8per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 68 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 68 fish
2021Lengths measured · 83 fish
2015Lengths measured · 115 fish
2009Lengths measured · 300 fish
2003CrappieJust a few1.2per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 23 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 23 fish
2021Lengths measured · 10 fish
2015Lengths measured · 22 fish
2009Lengths measured · 7 fish
2003Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rock bassGood numbers1.2per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 19 fish
2021Lengths measured · 4 fish
2015Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 17 fish
2009Lengths measured · 18 fish
2003Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Middle Cullen Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 16.2 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. On a lake that drops to 48 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 16.2 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. On a lake that drops to 48 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17" | 39" | 28" |
| 2015 | 16" | 37" | 25" |
| 2009 | 19" | 37" | 25" |
| 2003 | 19" | 35" | 26" |
| 1998 | 7" | 35" | 27" |
| 1993 | 7" | 33" | 23" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Walleye | 2,540 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 1,024 yearlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 5,969 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Middle Cullen Lake is a 397 acre lake, with a maximum depth of 48', located 3 miles northeast of the town of Nisswa in Crow Wing County. Middle Cullen is located in the Crow Wing River watershed. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Ten 100' long sampling stations were evenly spaced around the lakeshore. Each station was then sampled by backpack electrofishing, and if conditions allowed with a 15' or 50' 1/8th inch seine.
The survey took place September 3rd, 2021, with all 10 stations sampled by backpack electrofishing. The 50' 1/8th inch seine was used at 2 stations (no fish were caught) and the 15' 1/8th inch seine was used at 4 stations. Nineteen species were sampled, including six species that are intolerant of habitat disturbance: Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, Least Darter, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. This nearshore survey will be used along with the gill net and trap net survey conducted July 12-15, 2021, to calculate a Fish-Based Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health by the types of fish species present and comparing it to what is expected for this type of lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Middle Cullen Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Middle Cullen Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Middle Cullen Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Middle Cullen Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Upper Cullen Lake · 442 ac · 1 mi
- Lower Cullen Lake · 560 ac · 1.6 mi
- East Twin Lake · 163 ac · 1.8 mi
- West Twin Lake · 128 ac · 2.3 mi
- Little Pelican Lake · 271 ac · 2.4 mi
- Edna Lake · 156 ac · 2.7 mi
- Clark Lake · 305 ac · 2.8 mi
- Nisswa Lake · 219 ac · 2.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Middle Cullen Lake?
Middle Cullen Lake reaches 48 ft at its deepest point; about 31% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Middle Cullen Lake?
Middle Cullen Lake covers 405 acres with about 5.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Middle Cullen Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Middle Cullen Lake average 16.2 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Middle Cullen Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Middle Cullen Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2023; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Middle Cullen Lake have a public access?
Yes. Middle Cullen Lake has one public access site: Middle Cullen Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Middle Cullen Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 17"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Middle Cullen Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Middle Cullen Lake in 2021, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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