Minnesota · Beltrami County
Moose Lake Fishing guide
Moose Lake sits in Beltrami County, Minnesota, and covers 601 acres, reaching 71 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 14.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5.9per gill net19"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 55 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 55 fish
2021Lengths measured · 25 fish
2016Lengths measured · 14 fish
2011Lengths measured · 35 fish
2006Largemouth bassGood numbers56per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 167 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 167 fish
2021Lengths measured · 9 fish
2016Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 10 fish
2011Lengths measured · 14 fish
2006Northern pikeGood numbers10.2per gill net17"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 100 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 100 fish
2021Lengths measured · 134 fish
2016Lengths measured · 180 fish
2011Lengths measured · 228 fish
2006BluegillJust a few11.3per trap net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 196 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 196 fish
2021Lengths measured · 452 fish
2016Lengths measured · 375 fish
2011Lengths measured · 699 fish
2006CrappieJust a few0.4per trap net10"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 65 fish
2021Lengths measured · 298 fish
2016Lengths measured · 35 fish
2011Lengths measured · 31 fish
2006Yellow perchFair numbers2.1per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 26 fish
2021Lengths measured · 40 fish
2016Lengths measured · 27 fish
2011Lengths measured · 104 fish
2006Rates 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 Moose Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 14.3 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. On a lake that drops to 71 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 14.3 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 71 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.
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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26" | 20" | 30" |
| 2016 | 26" | 19" | 30" |
| 2011 | 25" | 17" | 30" |
| 2006 | 28" | 17" | 35" |
| 2001 | 28" | 10" | 34" |
| 1996 | 29" | 15" | 34" |
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:
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
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 20 fingerlings · 225 yearlings · 316 adults |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,182 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 3,003 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 4,680 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 3,648 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 6,000 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 5,395 fingerlings · 156 adults |
| 2018 | Walleye | 18,824 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 10,800 fingerlings · 240 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 1,124 yearlings · 390 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Moose Lake is a 601-acre lake with a maximum depth of 71 feet. The lake is located north of the town of Pennington in eastern Beltrami County. Public access is located on the east shore of the lake off of Timberwolf Road Northeast. Moose Lake is managed primarily for Walleye, Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Largemouth Bass with Northern Pike managed as a secondary species.
Moose Lake is a popular fishing lake with the local populace and resort guests. The Walleye population is maintained through annual fingerling stocking. The 2021 survey showed an increase in the Walleye gill-net catch rate (5.9 per net) which meets management goals. Walleye captured in 2021 had an average size of more than 18 inches in length. The largest Walleye captured in the survey measured just over 26 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
The 2021 Northern Pike catch rate of 10.2 fish per net was slightly lower than findings in the previous survey. Few pike over 30 inches in length were measured and only nine percent exceeded 26 inches. . There is currently an abundance of fish directly below the 22-26 inch protected slot limit which are vulnerable to the north-central zone's expanded 10 fish bag limit. Moose would be a good choice for anglers interested in taking advantage of this liberal harvest regulation.
Black Crappie were found in strong numbers and 60% of those fish exceeded 10 inches in length. The largest crappie captured in the survey was 13.3 inches.
Bluegills are abundant in Moose Lake but lack the larger sizes commonly desired by anglers. The largest captured was 7.8 inches and overall average length was 5.5 inches.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Moose Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Moose 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
- Moose Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Moose Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Pimushe Lake · 1,230 ac · 3.3 mi
- Big Rice Lake · 643 ac · 4.3 mi
- Little Rice Lake · 123 ac · 4.4 mi
- Kitchi Lake · 1,865 ac · 4.5 mi
- Webster Lake · 47 ac · 4.7 mi
- South Twin Lake · 222 ac · 6.4 mi
- Rabideau Lake · 680 ac · 6.8 mi
- Decker Lake · 325 ac · 7.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Moose Lake?
Moose Lake reaches 71 ft at its deepest point; about 40% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Moose Lake?
Moose Lake covers 601 acres with about 7.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Moose Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Moose Lake average 14.3 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Moose Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Moose Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Moose Lake have a public access?
Yes. Moose Lake has one public access site: Moose Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Moose Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Moose Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Moose Lake in 2021, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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