Minnesota · Stearns County
Pearl Lake Fishing guide
Pearl Lake covers 753 acres in Stearns County, Minnesota, reaching 17 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 2.9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers8.3per gill net15"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 75 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 75 fish
2023Lengths measured · 26 fish
2020Lengths measured · 6 fish
2017Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 80 fish
2017Largemouth bassFair numbers24.6per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 122 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 122 fish
2023Lengths measured · 21 fish
2020Lengths measured · 12 fish
2017Lengths measured · 22 fish
2015Northern pikeFair numbers9.4per gill net20"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 87 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 87 fish
2023Lengths measured · 89 fish
2020Lengths measured · 102 fish
2017Lengths measured · 154 fish
2015BluegillJust a few2.1per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 95 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 95 fish
2023Lengths measured · 170 fish
2020Lengths measured · 230 fish
2017Lengths measured · 210 fish
2015CrappiePresent15.1per gill net10"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 135 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 135 fish
2023Lengths measured · 176 fish
2020Lengths measured · 32 fish
2017Lengths measured · 71 fish
2015Rates 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 Pearl Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.9 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 68% 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 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 2.9 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 68% 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. 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 | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 27" | 19" | 32" |
| 2020 | 23" | 16" | 35" |
| 2017 | 26" | 17" | 36" |
| 2015 | 26" | 17" | 37" |
| 2014 | 26" | 17" | 38" |
| 2013 | 27" | 17" | 35" |
| 2011 | 26" | 18" | 37" |
| 2008 | 28" | 19" | 33" |
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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
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 | Walleye | 10,731 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 6,750 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 13,313 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 2,444 fingerlings · 67 adults |
| 2019 | Walleye | 17,119 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,050,000 fry · 11,981 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 4,170 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Pearl Lake was conducted on July 21, 2025, by Sauk Rapids fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 14 sampling stations. A 50-foot seine was used to sample 12 stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at two stations. Nearshore sampling captured 26 species of fish including five species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter and Least Darter) and two that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish).
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a standard survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner and Least Darter), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead and Common Carp). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data from this survey suggests that Pearl Lake is in good health as indicated by the FIBI score that exceeds the threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. The FIBI score increased substantially from the most recent survey in 2022. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Sauk River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Pearl Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Pearl 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
- Pearl Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Pearl Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Carnelian Lake · 180 ac · 2.8 mi
- Grand Lake · 651 ac · 2.8 mi
- Beaver Lake · 112 ac · 3 mi
- Goodners Lake · 191 ac · 3.5 mi
- School Section Lake · 211 ac · 5.1 mi
- Pleasant Lake · 218 ac · 6.6 mi
- Louisa Lake · 193 ac · 7.2 mi
- Marie Lake · 146 ac · 7.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Pearl Lake?
Pearl Lake reaches 17 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 9.8 ft; about 68% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Pearl Lake?
Pearl Lake covers 753 acres with about 4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Pearl Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Pearl Lake average 2.9 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Pearl Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Pearl Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Pearl Lake have a public access?
Yes. Pearl Lake has one public access site: Pearl Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Pearl Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2008.
When was Pearl Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Pearl Lake in 2025, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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