Minnesota · Pine County
Oak Lake Fishing guide
Oak Lake covers 459 acres in Pine County, Minnesota, reaching 20 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 3.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassJust a few12.1per hr (electrofishing)15"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 39 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 39 fish
2023Lengths measured · 34 fish
2015Lengths measured · 22 fish
2010Lengths measured · 62 fish
2005Northern pikeFair numbers8.8per gill net22"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 62 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 62 fish
2023Lengths measured · 32 fish
2015Lengths measured · 40 fish
2010Lengths measured · 32 fish
2005BluegillJust a few16per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 239 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 239 fish
2023Lengths measured · 102 fish
2015Lengths measured · 213 fish
2010Lengths measured · 263 fish
2005CrappieJust a few8.2per trap net6"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 311 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 311 fish
2023Lengths measured · 90 fish
2015Lengths measured · 116 fish
2010Lengths measured · 48 fish
2005Yellow perchExcellent numbers19.8per gill net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 119 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 119 fish
2023Lengths measured · 192 fish
2015Lengths measured · 100 fish
2010Lengths measured · 304 fish
2005Rates 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 Oak Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 3.8 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 94% 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3.8 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 94% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 36" | 25" | 18" |
| 2015 | 31" | 23" | 19" |
| 2010 | 36" | 30" | 17" |
| 2005 | 33" | 28" | 17" |
| 2000 | 33" | 29" | 21" |
| 1995 | 26" | 26" | 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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 | 216,500 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 221,098 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 433,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 433,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 433,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 433,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
A survey of nearshore fish species was conducted on Oak Lake on July 10, 2023 by Hinckley fisheries staff. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the shoreline and each site was sampled by backpack electrofishing, and/or seining. Nearshore sampling captured 9 species of fish; Bluegill, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Iowa Darter, Golden Shiner, White Sucker, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, and Northern Pike.
The nearshore fish survey data is combined with gill net and trap net data from previous Oak Lake surveys to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) score based on expectations for similar lakes. The FIBI score for Oak Lake based on this survey is above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes.
This survey is contributing to a watershed assessment process in coordination with the MN Pollution Control Agency. Oak Lake is located in the Kettle River Watershed. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Oak Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Oak 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
- Oak Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Oak Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Moose Lake · 133 ac · 6.2 mi
- Island Lake · 527 ac · 7.5 mi
- Echo Lake · 108 ac · 7.5 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 57 ac · 7.5 mi
- Graham Lake · 34 ac · 7.6 mi
- Sturgeon Lake · 1,706 ac · 7.7 mi
- Little Hanging Horn Lake · 114 ac · 7.7 mi
- Hanging Horn Lake · 409 ac · 7.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Oak Lake?
Oak Lake reaches 20 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 8 ft; about 94% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Oak Lake?
Oak Lake covers 459 acres with about 4.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Oak Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Oak Lake average 3.8 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Oak Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Oak Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Oak Lake have a public access?
Yes. Oak Lake has one public access site: Oak Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Oak Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 36"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Oak Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Oak Lake in 2023, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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