Minnesota · Beltrami County
North Twin Lake Fishing guide
North Twin Lake covers 326 acres in Beltrami County, Minnesota, reaching 59 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 12.3 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.2per gill net17"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 33 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 33 fish
2023Lengths measured · 49 fish
2018Lengths measured · 40 fish
2012Lengths measured · 50 fish
2003Largemouth bassFair numbers49.8per hr (electrofishing)9"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 173 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 173 fish
2023Lengths measured · 121 fish
2018Lengths measured · 63 fish
2012Lengths measured · 111 fish
2003Northern pikeFair numbers9.8per gill net19"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 96 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 96 fish
2023Lengths measured · 63 fish
2018Lengths measured · 93 fish
2012Lengths measured · 82 fish
2003BluegillJust a few17.7per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 247 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 247 fish
2023Lengths measured · 331 fish
2018Lengths measured · 215 fish
2012Lengths measured · 163 fish
2003CrappieJust a few5.4per trap net10"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 53 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 53 fish
2023Lengths measured · 91 fish
2018Lengths measured · 31 fish
2012Lengths measured · 28 fish
2003Yellow perchGood numbers12.4per gill net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 116 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 116 fish
2023Lengths measured · 69 fish
2018Lengths measured · 29 fish
2012Lengths measured · 20 fish
2003Rock bassExcellent numbers4.9per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 58 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 58 fish
2023Lengths measured · 18 fish
2018Lengths measured · 14 fish
2012Lengths measured · 53 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 North Twin Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 12.3 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 59 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 12.3 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 59 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 25" | 18" | 36" |
| 2018 | 25" | 19" | 35" |
| 2012 | 23" | 16" | 34" |
| 2003 | 25" | 19" | 33" |
| 1998 | 27" | 17" | 33" |
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 | 5 fingerlings · 337 yearlings · 160 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 3,776 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 2,141 adults |
| 2019 | Walleye | 5,537 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 966 fingerlings · 852 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff conducted an assessment of lakeshore habitat on North Twin Lake on August 20th, 2025, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 30 survey sites evenly spaced 200 meters around the lake. Assessments were made in three habitat zones: Shoreline Zone (the shore-water interface to the top of the natural bank), Shoreland Zone (land-ward from shoreline to development structure or 100 feet), and Aquatic Zone (lake-ward 50 feet of shoreline). The average lakewide habitat score was 96.2 (+/- 1.3) out of 100 possible. A score of 96.2 indicates the lakewide shoreline condition is Excellent (92+). Approximately 23 percent of the sites were developed with a mean score of 88.6 (+/- 4.4) indicating shoreline habitat quality of developed sites is High (85-91.9), while undeveloped sites had a mean score of 98.6 (+/- 0.6) with Excellent (92+) habitat quality.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
North Twin Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on North Twin 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
- North Twin Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
North Twin Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- South Twin Lake · 222 ac · 1 mi
- Pimushe Lake · 1,230 ac · 4.1 mi
- Benjamin Lake · 33 ac · 4.1 mi
- Webster Lake · 47 ac · 4.3 mi
- Rabideau Lake · 680 ac · 4.8 mi
- Big Rice Lake · 643 ac · 5.4 mi
- Turtle River Lake · 1,740 ac · 5.5 mi
- Gilstad Lake · 257 ac · 6.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is North Twin Lake?
North Twin Lake reaches 59 ft at its deepest point; about 42% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is North Twin Lake?
North Twin Lake covers 326 acres with about 3.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in North Twin Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on North Twin Lake average 12.3 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in North Twin Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is North Twin Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does North Twin Lake have a public access?
Yes. North Twin Lake has one public access site: North Twin Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in North Twin Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1998.
When was North Twin Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed North Twin Lake in 2025, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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