Minnesota · St. Louis County
Nichols Lake Fishing guide
Nichols Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 419 acres, reaching 31 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 6.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers4.9per gill net17"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 49 fish
2025Lengths measured · 43 fish
2017Lengths measured · 9 fish
2012Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 13 fish
2007Largemouth bassFair numbers26per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 40 fish
2025Lengths measured · 42 fish
2017Lengths measured · 35 fish
2012Lengths measured · 27 fish
2007Northern pikeJust a few4per gill net20"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 41 fish
2025Lengths measured · 47 fish
2017Lengths measured · 63 fish
2012Lengths measured · 75 fish
2007BluegillJust a few6.2per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 99 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 99 fish
2025Lengths measured · 56 fish
2017Lengths measured · 83 fish
2012Lengths measured · 227 fish
2007CrappieJust a few0.8per trap net5"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 20 fish
2025Lengths measured · 99 fish
2017Lengths measured · 68 fish
2012Lengths measured · 57 fish
2007Yellow perchJust a few1.1per gill net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 13 fish
2025Lengths measured · 16 fish
2017Lengths measured · 14 fish
2012Lengths measured · 11 fish
2007Rates 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 Nichols Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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. With 86% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- 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.
- 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. With 86% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- 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 | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24" | 16" | 14" |
| 2017 | 26" | 19" | — |
| 2012 | 22" | 19" | — |
| 2007 | 26" | 16" | — |
| 2002 | 27" | 16" | — |
| 1995 | 21" | 6" | — |
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 · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
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 | 8,379 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 8,298 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 12,308 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 8,670 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 7,235 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Nichols Lake is a 419-acre lake located five miles southwest of Cotton, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 31 feet. There is a township-administered, concrete back-in access located on the north side of the lake off Lake Nichols Road.
The 2007 Lake Management Plan (LMP) identified Walleye as the primary management species, with Bluegill, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike designated as secondary species. Management goals include maintaining a Walleye fishery with average gill net catch rates and good numbers of fish over 15 inches. Anglers can help achieve this goal through selective harvest and proper catch-and-release techniques. Nichols Lake was assessed in summer 2025 to update information about fish populations as part of an 8-year survey cycle, most recently completed in 2017.
Read the full DNR narrative
Walleye fingerlings are stocked in odd years at a rate of one pound per littoral acre. The 2025 gill net catch (4.9 per net) was above the long-term average for Nichols (2.6 per net). Walleye ranged from 10.2 to 24.3 inches in length, with a mean of 16.3 inches. Four preferred-length individuals (greater than 20 inches) were sampled. All fish corresponded to stocked year-classes, indicating the population is primarily sustained through stocking with little to no natural reproduction. Overall, the current abundance and size structure provide good fishing opportunities.
Bluegill abundance (6.2 per net) was within the expected range for this lake type. The mean length was 4.9 inches, and two preferred-length individuals (greater than 8 inches) were captured. Bluegill angling is expected to be fair, with anglers likely to catch good numbers of smaller fish.
Black Crappie size structure was fair (4.6-10.2 inches; mean length 6.5 inches). Trap net catch in 2025 (0.8 per net) was below average compared to similar lakes. Angling opportunities for preferred-size Crappie are expected to be fair.
Largemouth Bass electrofishing catch (31.7 per hour) was slightly below average when compared to other Duluth area lakes. Largemouth Bass mean length was 12.9 inches and ranged from 5.6 to 16.7 inches. Several preferred-length individuals (greater than 15 inches) were captured, indicating good size structure and angling opportunities.
Northern Pike ranged from 17.0 to 26.8 inches, averaging 21.1 inches. Relatively high abundance (4.0 per net) and a decent size structure should provide good angling opportunities.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Nichols Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Nichols 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
- Nichols Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Nichols Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Leora Lake · 263 ac · 6.4 mi
- Maple Leaf Lake · 100 ac · 6.9 mi
- Strand Lake · 330 ac · 7.1 mi
- Dinham Lake · 202 ac · 11.3 mi
- Little Long Lake · 18 ac · 11.3 mi
- Wilson Lake · 56 ac · 11.6 mi
- Cameron Lake · 168 ac · 11.6 mi
- Long Lake · 199 ac · 11.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Nichols Lake?
Nichols Lake reaches 31 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 7.9 ft; about 86% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Nichols Lake?
Nichols Lake covers 419 acres with about 4.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Nichols Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Nichols Lake average 6.2 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Nichols Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Nichols Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Nichols Lake have a public access?
Yes. Nichols Lake has one public access site: Nichols Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Nichols Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Nichols Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Nichols Lake in 2025, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Nichols Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Nichols Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report