Minnesota · Kandiyohi County
Norway Lake Fishing guide
Norway Lake covers 2,339 acres in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, reaching 33 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 3.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 17 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers8.6per gill net12"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 80 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 53 fish
2025Lengths measured · 80 fish
2024Lengths measured · 33 fish
2023Lengths measured · 118 fish
2022Largemouth bassPresent0.4per gill net15"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 11 fish
2024Lengths measured · 89 fish
2019Lengths measured · 48 fish
2015Lengths measured · 164 fish
2010Northern pikeLast stocked 2025Just a few1.2per gill net24"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 13 fish
2024Lengths measured · 24 fish
2019Lengths measured · 9 fish
2015Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 17 fish
2010BluegillJust a few6.4per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 116 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 116 fish
2024Lengths measured · 731 fish
2019Lengths measured · 261 fish
2015Lengths measured · 1106 fish
2010CrappieJust a few7.5per trap net5"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 265 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 265 fish
2024Lengths measured · 148 fish
2019Lengths measured · 333 fish
2015Lengths measured · 257 fish
2010Yellow perchGood numbers6.4per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 37 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 37 fish
2024Lengths measured · 236 fish
2019Lengths measured · 53 fish
2015Lengths measured · 157 fish
2010Rates 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 Norway Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 92% 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. In 3.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 92% 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 | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13" | — | — |
| 2024 | 25" | 17" | 32" |
| 2023 | 12" | — | — |
| 2022 | 13" | — | — |
| 2019 | 25" | 17" | 33" |
| 2018 | 7" | — | — |
| 2016 | 8" | — | — |
| 2015 | 24" | 18" | 34" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 | Northern Pike | 59 adults |
| 2025 | Walleye | 701,572 fry |
| 2024 | Northern Pike | 93 adults |
| 2024 | Walleye | 415,578 fry · 6,686 fingerlings · 750 yearlings · 10 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 504,179 fry |
| 2022 | Northern Pike | 6,746 fingerlings · 147 adults |
| 2022 | Walleye | 861,474 fry |
| 2021 | Northern Pike | 3,361 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 959 yearlings |
| 2018 | Northern Pike | 24,324 fry · 330 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,132,151 fry |
| 2017 | Northern Pike | 500 fingerlings |
Stocking records before 2017 omitted.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey was conducted for young of year "YOY" (fingerling sized) Walleye on September 24, 2025. A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e., spawning season, fall season, etc.) unlike a standard survey which samples a wider range of fish species during the summer months using standard methodology (i.e., standard time of year, set sampling stations, taking water clarity readings and oxygen/temperature profiles, etc.) and gears (i.e., lake survey gillnets, trapnets and possibly spring electrofishing for Largemouth Bass). Five stations were sampled for a total of 60 minutes in the 2025 fall night electrofishing survey. Clarity was poor (6 inches) due to a moderate blue-green algae bloom in the West Norway basin. Clarity was 12 inches with a moderate blue-green algae bloom in the Big Norway basin. The water temperature was 75 F. We observed abundant numbers of Bluegill, Black Crappie and Yellow Perch. Moderate numbers of adult Walleye, Freshwater Drum and Largemouth Bass were also observed in the 2025 fall night electrofishing survey.
Norway is a large sized (2,339 acres), moderately deep (33 feet maximum depth), multi basin (West Norway, Big Norway, Little Norway), and productive lake located in Kandiyohi County. West Norway basin (approximately 1,300 acres) is a shallow (<10 feet deep), turbid, and windswept basin with high nutrient levels and limited submergent vegetation. Little Norway basin (150 acres) is a protected and shallow (<10 feet deep) basin with abundant aquatic vegetation. The Big Norway basin (approximately 900 acres) is 33 feet deep maximum with moderate aquatic vegetation densities and moderate water clarity. Water levels were above normal during the 2025 summer. Eurasian watermilfoil was first found scattered throughout the West Norway basin in August of 2001 and in the Big Norway basin during 2005. Eurasian watermilfoil is also present in downstream lakes of Games (2014), Andrew (2019) and Florida (2009). Zebra Mussels were found in Norway, Games and Andrew in 2018. Shoalwater substrates consist mostly of sand, silt, gravel, rubble, and boulder in Norway.
Read the full DNR narrative
Walleye natural reproduction occurs in Norway but is sporadic based on previous surveys. Spicer Strain Walleye fry were recently stocked in Norway during 2012 (1,568,599 fry), 2016 (885,643 Oxytetracycline "OTC" marked fry), 2018 (1,132,151 fry), 2022 (861,474 fry), 2023 (504,179 fry), 2024 (415,578 fry) and 2025 (701,572 fry). OTC marked fry were also stocked in 2009 (2,152,425 fish). OTC marked Walleye frylings were stocked in 2011 (16,779 frylings) and 2014 (33,373 frylings). OTC marked fish accounted for 0%, 42% and 67% respectively of the 2011, 2014 and 2016 fall electrofishing YOY Walleye catch rates. A combination of Walleye fingerlings, adults and yearlings were stocked in 2008 (85,235 fingerlings, 1,864 pounds), 2009 (11,651 yearlings, 987 pounds; 318 fingerlings, 91 pounds; 360 adults, 287 pounds), 2011 (15,477 fingerlings, 737 pounds; 1,400 yearlings, 200 pounds; 3 adults, 6 pounds), 2012 (16,842 yearlings, 802 pounds), 2020 (959 yearlings, 442 pounds) and 2024 (6,685 fingerlings, 1,082 pounds; 750 yearlings, 467.5 pounds; 10 adults, 13.5 pounds).
YOY Walleye numbers were moderate in 2025 (30.00 YOY/hour, 6.79 inches). YOY Walleye numbers were low in 2024 (12.00 YOY/hour, 6.56 inches average). YOY Walleye numbers were moderate (37.71 YOY/hour, 6.15 inches) in the 2023 fall night electrofishing survey. YOY Walleye numbers were abundant (133.20 YOY/hour, 5.82 inches) in the 2022 fall electrofishing survey. YOY Walleye numbers in in other fall electrofishing surveys were abundant in 2010 (72.00 YOY/hour,) and 2016 (94.00 YOY/hour); moderate in 2012 (32.00 YOY/hour), 2014 (50.00 YOY/hour) and 2018 (56.40 YOY/hour); low in 2011 (14.00 YOY/hour), 2013 (4.00 YOY/hour), 2015 (16.00 YOY/hour) and 2019 (4.00 YOY/hour). No fall electrofishing surveys were conducted in 2017, 2020-2021. The Norway YOY Walleye historical average catch rate and length are 31.25 YOY/hour and 6.66 inches respectively. Yearling Walleye numbers were moderately abundant (14.00-22.00 fish/hour) in 2010-2012, 2014, and 2023; low in 2013 (0.00 fish/hour), 2019 (4.00 fish/hour), 2022 (6.00 fish/hour, 11.23 inches), 2024 (7.00 fish/hour) and 2025 (7.00 fish/hour) fall electrofishing surveys. Two-year-old Walleye were moderately abundant (11.00 fish/hour, 11.75 inches) in 2025.
Walleye abundance was moderate in the recent 2024 standard survey (8.60 fish/gillnet) compared to the historical average catch rate of 7.55 fish/gillnet. The 2024 Walleye average size was moderate (1.30 pounds and 14.60 inches) from gillnets. The Walleye historical average weight is 1.62 pounds from gillnets. The largest Walleye captured was 25.94 inches in 2024. Approximately 46% of the Walleye were 15.00 inches or larger in the 2024 survey gillnets and trapnets. Walleye growth rates were generally within the Spicer Area normal ranges. The 2022 and 2019 Walleye year classes comprised 36% and 14% respectively of the 2024 Walleye gillnet and trapnet catch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Norway Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Norway 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
- Norway Lake (S) (trailer launch)
- Norway Lake (W) (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Norway Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Games Lake · 527 ac · 1.3 mi
- Middle Lake · 369 ac · 2.1 mi
- Swenson Lake · 108 ac · 3.7 mi
- Andrew Lake · 759 ac · 3.7 mi
- Florida Lake · 705 ac · 5.5 mi
- Monson Lake · 208 ac · 7.8 mi
- Ringo Lake · 735 ac · 8.2 mi
- George Lake · 228 ac · 8.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Norway Lake?
Norway Lake reaches 33 ft at its deepest point; about 92% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Norway Lake?
Norway Lake covers 2,339 acres with about 20.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Norway Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Norway Lake average 3.5 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Norway Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Norway Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked northern pike and walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Norway Lake have a public access?
Yes. Norway Lake has 2 public access sites, including Norway Lake (S) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Norway 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 2015.
When was Norway Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Norway Lake in 2025, the most recent of 17 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 Norway Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Norway Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report