Minnesota · Lake County
Perent Lake Fishing guide
Perent Lake sits in Lake County, Minnesota, and covers 1,598 acres, reaching 38 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 5.3 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 3 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and rock bass in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeOne of the best around16.9per gill net12"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 202 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 202 fish
2019Lengths measured · 72 fish
2009Northern pikeJust a few4.3per gill net20"Typical38"Biggest
Lengths measured · 53 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 53 fish
2019Lengths measured · 20 fish
2009Yellow perchGood numbers9.2per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 123 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 123 fish
2019Lengths measured · 56 fish
2009Rock bassFair numbers1.1per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 14 fish
2019Lengths measured · 11 fish
2009Rates 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 Perent Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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 86% 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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. With 86% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Northern pike | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 26" | 38" | 10" |
| 2009 | 28" | 32" | 10" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2019 survey
Perent Lake is located approximately 20 miles northwest of Tofte and is completely within the BWCAW. The US Forest Service administers the permit system for entry into BWCAW lakes for overnight camping and day use. The primary access is located on Kawishiwi Lake Road (Forest Service 354) and is a carry-in to Hog Creek followed by a three mile paddle to the lake. A standard survey was completed the week of June 24th to monitor the fish community. Sampling effort consisted of twelve gill net sets and three mini-fyke trap net sets.
The 2019 Walleye catch rate of 16.92 per gill net was above the normal range for similar lakes but consistent with previous surveys. Size ranged from 6.2 to 26.8 inches with an average size of 12.5 inches and 0.73 pounds. Small-sized keepers, from 12 to 15 inches long, accounted for 46% of the catch.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike were captured at a rate of 4.25 per gill net which is above the normal range and the highest of five surveys completed on the lake to date. Size structure was good and ranged from 12.1 to 38.2 inches with an average of 21.5 inches and 2.57 pounds. Pike greater than 30 inches long made up 10% of the gill net catch.
The Lake Whitefish population has remained at a high level compared to similar lakes for each of the four previous surveys of the lake. The 2019 catch rate of 3.08 per gill net was equal to the 2009 catch and just above the normal range.
Other important forage species in the lake include Yellow Perch and White Sucker. Yellow Perch catch was the highest of any survey to date. Although they may not be the size sought after by anglers a good number of perch do reach an acceptable size for harvest. White Sucker catch was near the normal range for similar lakes and consistent with previous surveys of the lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Perent Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Perent 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
- US Forest Service access (permit required): BWCAW entry point on Hog Creek, to southeast end of Perent Lake.
- US Forest Service access (permit required): Various BWCAW canoe routes to the Perent River and the west end of Perent Lake.
DNR bathymetry
Perent Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Coffee Lake · 130 ac · 3.1 mi
- Kawishiwi Lake · 372 ac · 3.5 mi
- Watonwan Lake · 59 ac · 4.1 mi
- T Lake · 295 ac · 4.2 mi
- Short Lake · 27 ac · 4.6 mi
- Silver Island Lake · 1,239 ac · 4.6 mi
- Square Lake · 123 ac · 4.7 mi
- Island River Lake · 81 ac · 5.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Perent Lake?
Perent Lake reaches 38 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 13 ft; about 86% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Perent Lake?
Perent Lake covers 1,598 acres with about 22.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Perent Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Perent Lake average 5.3 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Perent Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Perent Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Perent Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Perent Lake have a public access?
Yes. Perent Lake has 2 public access sites, including a US Forest Service access (BWCAW entry point on Hog Creek, to southeast end of Perent Lake.).
How big do walleye get in Perent Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2009.
When was Perent Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Perent Lake in 2019, the most recent of 3 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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