Minnesota · Cass County
Morrison Lake Fishing guide
Morrison Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 164 acres, reaching 49 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 12 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 4 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassGood numbers75.9per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 151 fish
Northern pikeFair numbers8.3per gill net20"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
BluegillJust a few6.4per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 75 fish
CrappieJust a few1per trap net11"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
No recent survey rating.
Rates 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 Morrison 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 12 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 49 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 12 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 49 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.
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 · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Bluegill · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Morrison Lake is a 164 acre lake located three miles east of Outing in Cass County. Morrison does not have a designated public access.
Northern Pike were sampled in average numbers, when compared to similar lakes, at 8.3/gill net. Average length was 21.2", with 21% in the protected 22-26" slot. Northern Pike measuring at least 26" in length made up an additional 6% of the catch with fish up to 36.2" sampled.
Read the full DNR narrative
Largemouth Bass were sampled by spring electrofishing at a rate of 131.0/hr run time. Average length was 10.6", with 37% at least 12" in length. Largemouth Bass were sampled in high numbers in gill net at 4.5/net. Average length was 12.9".
Black Crappies were sampled in average numbers at 2.8/gill net and 1.0/trap net. Average length was 12.0" for gill net sampled fish, and only 6.8" for trap net sampled fish. For both gears combined 70% were at least 8" in length. Bluegills were sampled in low numbers at 6.4/trap net. Average length was 7.0" with 60% at least 7" in length.
No invasive species have been discovered in Morrison, but they are in the area. Lake users are required to inspect and remove any aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and trailers, as well as pull the plug and drain all water from the watercraft, including bilges, livewells and baitwells.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Morrison Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Morrison 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
- Public access (permit required): Resort on the northeast side ~charge $2.00 per landing~.
DNR bathymetry
Morrison Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Leavitt Lake · 122 ac · 1.5 mi
- Lawrence Lake · 225 ac · 2.4 mi
- Smokey Hollow Lake · 126 ac · 3.4 mi
- Roosevelt Lake · 1,511 ac · 3.9 mi
- Margaret Lake · 18 ac · 5.4 mi
- Marion Lake · 12 ac · 5.5 mi
- Allen Lake · 45 ac · 5.8 mi
- Mary Lake · 413 ac · 6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Morrison Lake?
Morrison Lake reaches 49 ft at its deepest point; about 97% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Morrison Lake?
Morrison Lake covers 164 acres with about 1.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Morrison Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Morrison Lake average 12 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Morrison Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Morrison Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Morrison Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Morrison Lake have a public access?
Yes. Morrison Lake has one public access site: Public access (Resort on the northeast side ~charge $2.00 per landing~.).
How big do largemouth bass get in Morrison Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 18".
When was Morrison Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Morrison Lake in 2023, the most recent of 4 surveys on record.
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