Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Nisswa Lake Fishing guide
Nisswa Lake is a 219-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 23 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 14.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassJust a few13.3per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 10 fish
2025Lengths measured · 11 fish
2021Lengths measured · 10 fish
2019Lengths measured · 12 fish
2013Northern pikeGood numbers10.7per gill net20"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 76 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 69 fish
2025Lengths measured · 7 fish
2021Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 72 fish
2019Lengths measured · 72 fish
2013BluegillJust a few24.2per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 496 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 224 fish
2025Lengths measured · 272 fish
2021Lengths measured · 154 fish
2019Lengths measured · 300 fish
2013CrappieJust a few0.4per trap net8"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 11 fish
2025Lengths measured · 4 fish
2021Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 16 fish
2019Lengths measured · 35 fish
2013Rates 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 Nisswa Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 14.7 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.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 14.7 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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34" | 23" | 16" |
| 2021 | 24" | — | 20" |
| 2019 | 38" | 27" | 15" |
| 2013 | 34" | 26" | 16" |
| 2001 | 31" | 25" | 16" |
| 1996 | 31" | 23" | 16" |
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:
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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
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 2025 survey
Nisswa Lake is a 219-acre lake in the city of Nisswa in Crow Wing County. It is part of the Gull Lake Chain of Lakes, with a recently constructed access (2021) on the southeast shore. Northern Pike is a primary management species on Nisswa and a special regulation was implemented to achieve our management objective. The regulation requires the immediate release of all Northern Pike between 30 and 40 inches, with a possession limit of two fish and only one allowed over 40 inches. A standard survey using gill nets and trap nets was conducted in June 2025 to assess fish populations and provide angler information.
Northern Pike numbers (10.7 per net) met our abundance management goal (below 12.4 per net), with fish up to 34.8 inches captured. Anglers should have good opportunities to harvest fish with 92% of the fish below the 30 to 40 inch protected slot. Releasing larger Pike is encouraged, however, to help create more opportunities for larger fish.
Read the full DNR narrative
Electrofishing, the preferred method for sampling Largemouth Bass, was not completed in 2025. Anglers can expect decent Bass fishing based on what was caught in the summer netting. Fish ranging from 6.4 to 16.6 inches were caught in the nets, with 60% measuring over 12 inches.
Bluegill numbers were the second lowest to date and size was not great. Only 19% were over 7 inches and only one fish was over 8 inches. Black Crappie numbers were also low and size was poor as well. While 55 percent of the Crappie were over 8 inches, only one was over 9 inches.
Other species sampled in the 2025 survey included Bowfin (Dogfish), Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Walleye, White Sucker, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Nisswa Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Nisswa 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
- Nisswa Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Nisswa Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Roy Lake · 320 ac · 1.2 mi
- Edna Lake · 156 ac · 1.3 mi
- Lower Cullen Lake · 560 ac · 1.4 mi
- Clark Lake · 305 ac · 1.5 mi
- Ray Lake · 143 ac · 1.7 mi
- Fawn Lake · 64 ac · 1.7 mi
- West Twin Lake · 128 ac · 2.2 mi
- Upper Gull Lake · 422 ac · 2.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Nisswa Lake?
Nisswa Lake reaches 23 ft at its deepest point; about 55% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Nisswa Lake?
Nisswa Lake covers 219 acres with about 2.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Nisswa Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Nisswa Lake average 14.7 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Nisswa Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Nisswa Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Nisswa Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Nisswa Lake have a public access?
Yes. Nisswa Lake has one public access site: Nisswa Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Nisswa Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Nisswa Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Nisswa Lake in 2025, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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