Minnesota · Lincoln County
Perch Lake Fishing guide
Perch Lake is a 246-acre lake in Lincoln County, Minnesota, reaching 16.2 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 10.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 17 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5.5per gill net22"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 56 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 31 fish
2024Lengths measured · 25 fish
2021Lengths measured · 30 fish
2018Lengths measured · 27 fish
2015Largemouth bassJust a few13.3per hr (electrofishing)2"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 608 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 462 fish
2024Lengths measured · 146 fish
2021Lengths measured · 34 fish
2018Lengths measured · 242 fish
2015Northern pikeJust a few5.3per gill net24"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 54 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 25 fish
2024Lengths measured · 29 fish
2021Lengths measured · 17 fish
2018Lengths measured · 11 fish
2015BluegillJust a few17.4per trap net4"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 281 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 38 fish
2024Lengths measured · 243 fish
2021Lengths measured · 52 fish
2018Lengths measured · 39 fish
2015Yellow perchOne of the best around66.6per gill net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 864 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 78 fish
2024Lengths measured · 786 fish
2021Lengths measured · 272 fish
2018Lengths measured · 914 fish
2015No 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 Perch Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 10.6 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. With 73% 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 16.2-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. At 10.6 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. With 73% 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 16.2-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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28" | 18" | 32" |
| 2021 | 28" | 17" | 30" |
| 2018 | 31" | 9" | 33" |
| 2015 | 28" | 16" | 30" |
| 2012 | 27" | 12" | 34" |
| 2009 | 23" | 5" | 29" |
| 2006 | 28" | 14" | 34" |
| 2003 | 27" | 16" | 26" |
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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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 | 112,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 112,000 fry · 646 fingerlings · 2,505 yearlings · 104 adults |
| 2022 | Black Crappie | 315 adults |
| 2022 | Walleye | 112,000 fry |
| 2021 | Black Crappie | 450 adults |
| 2021 | Walleye | 112,000 fry · 555 adults |
| 2019 | Walleye | 112,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 112,000 fry |
| 2017 | Black Crappie | 726 adults |
| 2017 | Walleye | 518 yearlings · 1,543 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 100,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Perch Lake is located approximately 4 miles northwest of Ivanhoe in Lincoln County. It is a productive, 224-acre lake with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Perch Lake has a history of providing good walleye fishing. Numerous sizes of walleyes have been stocked over time. Many of the stockings have been evaluated with marking techniques and have revealed both stocking and natural reproduction have made important contributions to the walleye population. The recruitment of young walleyes is likely being negatively affected by predation and competition from other fish, especially large walleyes, northern pike and largemouth bass. In recent surveys, walleye gill net catches have been dominated by large fish (>20 inches), with few smaller walleyes present.
Lower Mississippi Strain (Lake Sarah) walleye fry were first stocked in 2024 and then again in 2025 in an effort to develop a genetically "superior" self-sustaining population. This strain has been found to do well in southern Minnesota lakes. Fall night electrofishing was conducted to evaluate the survival of stocked walleye fry. No young-of-year or yearling walleyes were observed in 2025. Future stockings may include fingerling and yearling walleyes in an attempt to increase the population.
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 (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Perch Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Steep Bank Lake · 199 ac · 2.8 mi
- Popowski Lake · 143 ac · 4.1 mi
- Shaokotan Lake · 996 ac · 8.7 mi
- Porter Reservoir · 16 ac · 8.8 mi
- John Reservoir · 21 ac · 9.3 mi
- Hendricks Lake · 1,522 ac · 9.4 mi
- Stay Lake · 221 ac · 10.1 mi
- R6 Lake · 33 ac · 12 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Perch Lake?
Perch Lake reaches 16.2 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 6 ft; about 73% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Perch Lake?
Perch Lake covers 246 acres with about 3.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Perch Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Perch Lake average 10.6 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Perch Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
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 (carry-in).
How big do walleye get in Perch 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 2003.
When was Perch Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Perch Lake in 2025, the most recent of 17 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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