Minnesota · Mahnomen County
North Twin Lake Fishing guide
North Twin Lake sits in Mahnomen County, Minnesota, and covers 966 acres, reaching 16 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6.6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.9per gill net16"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 20 fish
2024Lengths measured · 37 fish
2019Lengths measured · 8 fish
2014Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 36 fish
2009Largemouth bassFair numbers27.3per hr (electrofishing)7"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 13 fish
2024Lengths measured · 7 fish
2019Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2014Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2009No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeOne of the best around15.7per gill net19"Typical38"Biggest
Lengths measured · 148 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 148 fish
2024Lengths measured · 187 fish
2019Lengths measured · 172 fish
2014Lengths measured · 198 fish
2009BluegillJust a few4.8per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 144 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 144 fish
2024Lengths measured · 387 fish
2019Lengths measured · 288 fish
2014Lengths measured · 277 fish
2009CrappieJust a few0.4per trap net5"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 21 fish
2024Lengths measured · 33 fish
2019Lengths measured · 24 fish
2014Lengths measured · 11 fish
2009Yellow perchExcellent numbers17.6per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 158 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 158 fish
2024Lengths measured · 238 fish
2019Lengths measured · 61 fish
2014Lengths measured · 343 fish
2009Rock bassGood numbers0.7per seine haul7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 11 fish
2024Lengths measured · 9 fish
2019Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2014Lengths measured · 10 fish
2009Rates 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
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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. With 93% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 16-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 93% 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. A 16-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 38" | 28" | 19" |
| 2019 | 30" | 28" | 16" |
| 2014 | 29" | 26" | 13" |
| 2009 | 34" | 27" | 17" |
| 2004 | 39" | 27" | 18" |
| 1999 | 33" | 28" | 15" |
| 1994 | 32" | 29" | 7" |
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 · 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
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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 | 292,500 fry · 1,500 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 489 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 200 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 2,312 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,848 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 917 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
North Twin Lake is a 966-acre lake located in southeast Mahnomen County within the White Earth Indian Reservation. The lake's recreational fishery consists primarily of Northern Pike, Walleye, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Black Crappie. Walleye are stocked into North Twin by the White Earth Natural Resources Department. Zebra mussels were confirmed to be present in North Twin Lake in 2019 by the White Earth Natural Resources Department staff. A standard fisheries survey was completed in August 2024 to assess the fish populations at North Twin Lake.
Anglers will find a high number of Northern Pike in North Twin Lake, however, most of these fish will be on the small side. The average size of the pike captured was 20 inches, but one 38-inch fish was measured. Walleye numbers were below average for the lake but the size is good. About 47% of the Walleye captured in 2024 were over 15 inches and 18% were over 20 inches. The longest Walleye measured was 28.7 inches. Bluegill numbers were down for the lake, but fish over eight inches were present in decent numbers. Black Crappie and Largemouth Bass were captured in low numbers in the nets, which is often the case with this sampling gear. Black Crappie up to 12 inches long were measured and Largemouth Bass up to 19.5 inches were captured. Other fish species sampled were Black, Brown, and Yellow Bullhead, Green Sunfish, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch.
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
- DNR access: East shore off Co. Rd. 4 one half mile south of Nay-Tah-Waush.
- Public access: North Shore off 260th Street.
DNR bathymetry
North Twin Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- South Twin Lake · 1,127 ac · 1.6 mi
- Sargent Lake · 138 ac · 2 mi
- Bass Lake · 735 ac · 3.2 mi
- Snider Lake · 634 ac · 4.1 mi
- Roy Lake · 695 ac · 6.1 mi
- McCraney Lake · 270 ac · 6.5 mi
- Island Lake · 44 ac · 6.8 mi
- Tulaby Lake · 832 ac · 7.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is North Twin Lake?
North Twin Lake reaches 16 ft at its deepest point; about 93% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is North Twin Lake?
North Twin Lake covers 966 acres with about 5.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in North Twin Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on North Twin Lake average 6.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in North Twin Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) 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 2016.
Does North Twin Lake have a public access?
Yes. North Twin Lake has 2 public access sites, including a DNR access (East shore off Co. Rd. 4 one half mile south of Nay-Tah-Waush.).
How big do northern pike get in North Twin Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 38"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was North Twin Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed North Twin Lake in 2024, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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