Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Pelican Lake Fishing guide
Pelican Lake covers 8,367 acres in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 104 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 16.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 36 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5.8per gill net15"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 175 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 22 fish
2025Lengths measured · 94 fish
2024Lengths measured · 69 fish
2024Lengths measured · 55 fish
2023Largemouth bassJust a few3.9per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 69 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 36 fish
2024Lengths measured · 33 fish
2022Lengths measured · 37 fish
2020Lengths measured · 27 fish
2019Northern pikeJust a few4.2per gill net21"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 125 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 77 fish
2024Lengths measured · 48 fish
2022Lengths measured · 46 fish
2020Lengths measured · 55 fish
2019BluegillPresent4.6per gill net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 137 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 59 fish
2024Lengths measured · 78 fish
2022Lengths measured · 323 fish
2020Lengths measured · 68 fish
2019CrappiePresent0.5per gill net10"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 4 fish
2024Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 12 fish
2022Lengths measured · 39 fish
2020Lengths measured · 12 fish
2019Yellow perchFair numbers2.8per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 85 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 29 fish
2024Lengths measured · 56 fish
2022Lengths measured · 95 fish
2020Lengths measured · 114 fish
2019Rock bassGood numbers2.3per gill net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 68 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 37 fish
2024Lengths measured · 31 fish
2022Lengths measured · 73 fish
2020Lengths measured · 54 fish
2019Rates 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 Pelican Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 16.6 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 104 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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. At 16.6 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 104 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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 | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17" | — | — |
| 2024 | 26" | 16" | — |
| 2023 | 28" | — | — |
| 2022 | 26" | 18" | 17" |
| 2021 | 19" | — | — |
| 2020 | 27" | 15" | 19" |
| 2019 | 26" | 16" | — |
| 2018 | 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:
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 · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
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 | 2,000,000 fry · 71,553 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 2,000,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry · 69,103 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry · 27,749 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry · 76,551 fingerlings · 1,899 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry · 114,813 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Pelican Lake is typically stocked annually with 3.9 million Walleye fry. In 2024 and 2025, fry were stocked at roughly half of the typical rate (2 million) to evaluate if a reduced stocking rate can produce a successful year class of Walleye. Fingerling stocking is done on a contingency basis when fall electrofishing catch rates fall below 30 young-of-the-year (YOY) Walleye per hour and was last done in 2025. Electrofishing was conducted during the night of September 9th, 2025, to monitor the abundance of YOY Walleyes. The total sample time was 2 hours, which resulted in a YOY catch rate of 4.5 per hour. This was up slightly from 2024 (1.0 per hour) and YOY Walleye averaged 6.3 inches. Previous catches ranged from zero to 133.9 per hour. Age 1 and older Walleyes were sampled at a rate of 6.5 per hour. They ranged in size from 11.4 to 17.2 inches, with a mean length of 13.2 inches.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Pelican Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Pelican 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.
Open the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report
All Pelican Lake fishing reports → · Crow Wing County reports
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Pelican Lake (NW) (trailer launch)
- Pelican Lake, Halverson Bay (trailer launch)
- Pelican Lake, Jones Bay (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Pelican Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Pelican Lake · 271 ac · 2.3 mi
- Lougee Lake · 212 ac · 3.3 mi
- Horseshoe Lake · 922 ac · 3.4 mi
- Bonnie Lake · 76 ac · 3.5 mi
- Ossawinnamakee Lake · 711 ac · 3.6 mi
- Upper Cullen Lake · 442 ac · 3.6 mi
- Bass Lake · 285 ac · 4.2 mi
- Middle Cullen Lake · 405 ac · 4.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Pelican Lake?
Pelican Lake reaches 104 ft at its deepest point; about 47% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Pelican Lake?
Pelican Lake covers 8,367 acres with about 27.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Pelican Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Pelican Lake average 16.6 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Pelican Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Pelican Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Pelican Lake have a public access?
Yes. Pelican Lake has 3 public access sites, including Pelican Lake (NW) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Pelican Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 28"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2018.
When was Pelican Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Pelican Lake in 2025, the most recent of 36 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Pelican Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Pelican Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report