Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Perch Lake Fishing guide
Perch Lake is a 266-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 40 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 17 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers46.4per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 47 fish
2021Lengths measured · 93 fish
2015Lengths measured · 67 fish
2009Lengths measured · 80 fish
2002No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeGood numbers12.3per gill net17"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 77 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 77 fish
2021Lengths measured · 49 fish
2015Lengths measured · 55 fish
2009Lengths measured · 100 fish
2002BluegillJust a few16.4per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 151 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 151 fish
2021Lengths measured · 142 fish
2015Lengths measured · 89 fish
2009Lengths measured · 123 fish
2002CrappieJust a few1.4per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 29 fish
2021Lengths measured · 6 fish
2015Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2009Lengths measured · 5 fish
2002Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchFair numbers2per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 14 fish
2021Lengths measured · 5 fish
2015Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 14 fish
2009Lengths measured · 61 fish
2002Rock bassGood numbers1.1per trap net9"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 10 fish
2021Lengths measured · 41 fish
2015Lengths measured · 13 fish
2009Lengths measured · 17 fish
2002Rates 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 Perch Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 17 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 40 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 17 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 40 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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34" | 18" | 24" |
| 2015 | 33" | 20" | — |
| 2009 | 30" | 19" | 23" |
| 2002 | 35" | 20" | 27" |
| 1997 | 33" | 18" | 24" |
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
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
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
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 | 165,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 165,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 165,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 165,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 165,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 165,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 165,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 165,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 165,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Perch Lake is a 270 acre lake located inside the city limits of Baxter in Crow Wing County. A DNR owned public access is located on the south end of the lake. Perch reaches a depth of 40 feet, with 61% being 15 feet deep or less. Large beds of bulrush and water lilies surround the lakeshore. Protection of aquatic vegetation, especially emergent vegetation, is important for maintaining good water quality. Aquatic vegetation is critical for fish spawning areas as well as providing habitat for fish and other aquatic life.
Although Walleye fry are stocked annually (165,000/year), not much of a Walleye fishery exists. Only two Walleyes were captured in the 2021 survey, with past catches have ranged from 0.7/gill net (2009) to a high of 4.7/gill net (1997).
Read the full DNR narrative
Largemouth Bass were sampled by a spring electrofishing survey and captured at a rate of 43.8/hour. Average length was 12.1" with 54% measuring at least 12" in length, and 20% measuring at least 15". Largemouth bass up to 18.1" were sampled.
Northern Pike numbers were high for this type of lake at 12.3/gill net. While average size was small at 19.4", fish up to 34.8" were captured. With only 11% of the fish in the protected slot and only 9% above it, there is ample opportunity to harvest your 10 Northern Pike under 22" on Perch Lake.
A new regulation was implemented on Perch Lake in 2021 reducing the daily possession of sunfish and crappie to five. Both Bluegill (16.4/trap net) and Black Crappie (1.4/trap net) were caught in average numbers for this type of lake. Both species were fast growing and had plenty of fish that were of harvestable size. Average size of Bluegill was 6.5", with 32% measuring at least 7" in length. Average size of Black Crappie was 8.9", with 69% measuring at least 8".
No invasive species have been discovered in Perch Lake, but they are located in the local area. Before and after launching lake users are required to inspect and remove any aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and trailers as well as pull the plug and drain all water from the watercraft, including bilges, livewells and baitwells.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Perch Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Perch 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
- Perch Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Perch Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- White Sand Lake · 415 ac · 1.3 mi
- Whipple Lake · 301 ac · 2.4 mi
- Red Sand Lake · 521 ac · 2.5 mi
- Hardy Lake · 105 ac · 4.2 mi
- Gilbert Lake · 357 ac · 4.7 mi
- Dade Lake · 99 ac · 5.5 mi
- Rice Lake · 418 ac · 5.7 mi
- Sylvan Lake · 322 ac · 5.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Perch Lake?
Perch Lake reaches 40 ft at its deepest point; about 62% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Perch Lake?
Perch Lake covers 266 acres with about 3.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Perch Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Perch Lake average 17 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Perch Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Perch Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Perch Lake have a public access?
Yes. Perch Lake has one public access site: Perch Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Perch Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Perch Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Perch Lake in 2021, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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