Minnesota · Stevens County
Page Lake Fishing guide
Page Lake sits in Stevens County, Minnesota, and covers 375 acres, reaching 17 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 3.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Good numbers5per gill net20"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 52 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 52 fish
2023Lengths measured · 124 fish
2017Lengths measured · 137 fish
2011Lengths measured · 32 fish
2006Largemouth bassJust a few16.2per hr (electrofishing)17"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 29 fish
2023Lengths measured · 41 fish
2017Lengths measured · 6 fish
2011Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2006Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
No recent survey rating.
BluegillJust a few17.9per trap net3"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 162 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 162 fish
2023Lengths measured · 32 fish
2017Lengths measured · 56 fish
2011Lengths measured · 100 fish
2006Yellow perchOne of the best around119.5per gill net7"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 742 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 742 fish
2023Lengths measured · 688 fish
2017Lengths measured · 170 fish
2011Lengths measured · 525 fish
2006No 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 Page Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3.2 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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 17-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. In 3.2 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.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze. A 17-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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 24" | 19" | 13" |
| 2017 | 27" | 17" | 12" |
| 2011 | 18" | 11" | 12" |
| 2006 | 26" | 16" | 13" |
| 2001 | 25" | — | 13" |
| 1995 | 23" | 15" | — |
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Live bait
Slip Bobber + Leech
jumbo or large leech
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 85,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 130,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 340,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 340,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 340,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 340,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 344,798 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Page Lake is a 375-acre shallow and fertile prairie lake located one mile north of Hancock in southeast Stevens County. Maximum depth of the natural basin is 17.0 feet. Average depth is estimated at 12.0 feet. The lake has a small watershed area and thus surface water elevations are strongly influenced by volume of snowmelt and stormwater runoff. Algae blooms and suspended sediments impair water clarity during summer months. Low water clarity limits coverage and diversity of aquatic vegetation within the lake. Due to high fertility of the water fish grow rapidly and Page Lake can provide good fishing opportunities.
A standard fisheries survey was completed in July of 2023 to evaluate abundance and size distribution of gamefish populations. Page Lake supports a healthy Walleye fishery sustained through supplemental fry stockings. Gill net catch rates have decreased in recent years (5.0 Walleye/gill net), but still exceed management objectives and are well above average for similar lakes in Minnesota. Walleye grow rapidly in this productive basin and typically reach 16.0 inches after three growing seasons. The largest Walleye measured was 24.6 inches. Approximately 97% of Walleyes captured were larger than 15 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike were not observed during the 2023 survey. Low numbers of Northern Pike have been observed in past surveys, but limited vegetation combined with low water clarity greatly reduce spawning and foraging success for this species.
Twenty-four Largemouth Bass were captured during the spring electrofishing survey. The modest catch indicated a decrease in abundance from the record high 2017 survey. No bass were captured during the 2001, 2006, and 2011 electrofishing surveys. Size structure of the electrofishing catch described a quality fishery. One hundred percent of the bass were over 12.0 inches and the largest bass observed was 19.4 inches. A lack of small bass indicates poor recruitment and may result in continued declines in future catch rates.
Bluegill catch rates (17.9 fish/trap net) were the highest observed over the past four decades. Age distribution of Bluegill catches extended to age 5, but 74% of captures were young (ages 1 or 2). Consequently, average size was low (4.1 inches). Growth was rapid and did allow some individuals to reach almost 10 inches. Black Crappie catch rates declined significantly from the previous two surveys. Crappie catches were 0.0 and 0.3 fish/net for gill nets and trap nets, respectively. Although low, the 2023 catch rates resemble the historical averages for Black Crappie in Page Lake.
Yellow Perch numbers remained near record highs (119.5/gill net). Multiple Yellow Perch larger than 13.0 inches were observed; however, 93.3% of the fish were less than 8.0 inches in length. Approximately 75% of the Yellow Perch sampled were less than two years old. Fast growth combined with an abundance of young fish in Page Lake may allow for increased angling opportunities in the coming years.
Other species sampled during the 2023 survey included Black Bullhead and Common Carp. The next standard lake survey is tentatively scheduled for 2029.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Page Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Page 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
- Page Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Page Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Long Lake · 620 ac · 5 mi
- Lake Charlotte · 468 ac · 6.8 mi
- Lake Emily · 2,316 ac · 7.7 mi
- Pomme de Terre Lakes · 518 ac · 13.1 mi
- Signalness Lake · 42 ac · 13.2 mi
- Lake Hattie · 459 ac · 13.6 mi
- Malmedal Lake · 199 ac · 16.3 mi
- Dry Wood Lake · 404 ac · 16.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Page Lake?
Page Lake reaches 17 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 12 ft; about 45% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Page Lake?
Page Lake covers 375 acres with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Page Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Page Lake average 3.2 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Page Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Page Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Page Lake have a public access?
Yes. Page Lake has one public access site: Page Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Page Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Page Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Page Lake in 2023, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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