Minnesota · Ramsey County
Owasso Lake Fishing guide
Owasso Lake is a 375-acre lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota, reaching 37 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 5.7 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 14 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers4.8per gill net19"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 54 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 13 fish
2024Lengths measured · 41 fish
2021Lengths measured · 16 fish
2018Lengths measured · 107 fish
2013Largemouth bassFair numbers34.7per hr (electrofishing)8"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 99 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 5 fish
2024Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 94 fish
2021Lengths measured · 3 fish
2018Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2013Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers8.3per gill net23"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 88 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 33 fish
2024Lengths measured · 55 fish
2021Lengths measured · 73 fish
2018Lengths measured · 19 fish
2013Present and managed by the DNR.
BluegillFair numbers37.8per trap net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 620 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 29 fish
2024Lengths measured · 252 fish
2021Lengths measured · 339 fish
2021Lengths measured · 699 fish
2018CrappieJust a few3.5per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 92 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 20 fish
2024Lengths measured · 72 fish
2021Lengths measured · 101 fish
2018Lengths measured · 204 fish
2012Yellow perchExcellent numbers16.7per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 156 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 70 fish
2024Lengths measured · 86 fish
2021Lengths measured · 2 fish
2018Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 116 fish
2012No recent survey rating.
Rates 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 Owasso Lake through the year
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 78% 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.
- 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 78% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 23" | 12" | 29" |
| 2021 | 26" | 17" | 29" |
| 2018 | 25" | 17" | 36" |
| 2013 | 28" | 17" | 34" |
| 2012 | 26" | 16" | 35" |
| 2006 | 26" | 8" | 36" |
| 2001 | 25" | 9" | 32" |
| 1996 | 21" | 15" | 35" |
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 · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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 | Muskellunge | 30 yearlings |
| 2025 | Walleye | 6,739 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,895 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 1,204 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 4,594 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Muskellunge | 147 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 786 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 285 yearlings |
| 2019 | Muskellunge | 146 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 8,176 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Muskellunge | 147 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 2,814 fingerlings · 583 yearlings · 8 adults |
Stocking records before 2018 omitted.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Lake Owasso is a eutrophic, class 24 lake located in Ramsey County. The lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet and is 375 acres in surface area, with 293 littoral acres (78%). The primary management species in Lake Owasso are Walleye and Muskellunge, and the secondary management species is Largemouth Bass. Eurasian watermilfoil, first confirmed in the lake in 2000, and curly-leaf pondweed are abundant. Walleye fingerlings are stocked annually at a rate of 1.0 pound per littoral acre (293 pounds), and Muskellunge fingerlings are stocked at a rate of 0.5 fish per littoral acre (147 fish) in odd years. The lake has suffered occasional winter kills, so a permanent winter aeration system was installed in 2000. This report details the most recent gill net survey conducted in June of 2024. The previous gill net survey occurred in July of 2021.
Walleyes were sampled at a rate of 2.6 fish per gill net. This catch rate is slightly below average for the lake class, and consistent with the lake's history. The mid-range management goal for Lake Owasso is to maintain a Walleye population with a catch rate of 2.8 fish per net. Fish size was above average for the lake class, with an average length of 17.9 inches. Fish ranged from 9.8 to 24.0 inches in length, and 46% of fish were at least 20 inches. Ages ranged from 1 to 9 years old, and most fish were age 5.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike were sampled at a rate of 6.6 fish per gill net. This catch rate is above average for the lake class and is typical relative to historical surveys. Fish size was also above average for the lake class, with an average length of 23.5 inches and a maximum length of 29.7 inches. Northern Pike are not a management priority on Lake Owasso, as it is primarily managed for Muskellunge. However, no Muskellunge were sampled in this gill net survey.
Yellow Perch were sampled at a rate of 13.8 fish per gill net. This catch rate is above average for the lake class. Historically, catch rates have been highly variable among gill net surveys for Lake Owasso. Fish size was below average for the lake class, with an average length of 6.3 inches. Yellow Perch size ranged from 5.8 to 7.4 inches in length. This narrow size range and historical variability in catch rate indicate that Yellow Perch recruitment is inconsistent in Lake Owasso.
Sportfish including Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Black Crappie were also sampled in gill nets; however, summer gill nets are not the optimal sampling gear to access abundance or size structure for these species. None were of notable size. Other fish species were sampled including Brown Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead, Pumpkinseed, White Sucker, and Common Carp.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Owasso Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Owasso 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
- Owasso Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Owasso Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Emily Lake · 13 ac · 0.6 mi
- Wabasso Lake · 43 ac · 0.9 mi
- Bennett Lake · 29 ac · 1.3 mi
- Josephine Lake · 116 ac · 1.4 mi
- Island Lake · 59 ac · 1.5 mi
- West Vadnais Lake · 212 ac · 1.8 mi
- East Vadnais Lake · 393 ac · 2.1 mi
- Gervais Mill Pond · 6 ac · 2.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Owasso Lake?
Owasso Lake reaches 37 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 11.2 ft; about 78% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Owasso Lake?
Owasso Lake covers 375 acres with about 5.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Owasso Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Owasso Lake average 5.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Owasso Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Owasso Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked muskellunge and walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2018.
Does Owasso Lake have a public access?
Yes. Owasso Lake has one public access site: Owasso Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Owasso Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Owasso Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Owasso Lake in 2024, the most recent of 14 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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