Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Perry Lake Fishing guide
Perry Lake covers 164 acres in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 23 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.8 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 3 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers7.7per gill net22"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 61 fish
Recent · 2017 + 2019Lengths measured · 16 fish
2019Lengths measured · 45 fish
2017BluegillJust a few25.3per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 230 fish
CrappieJust a few7.6per trap net8"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 102 fish
Yellow perchExcellent numbers22.3per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 147 fish
Recent · 2017 + 2019Lengths measured · 21 fish
2019Lengths measured · 126 fish
2017Rates 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 Perry Lake through the year
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 80% 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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 80% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 24" | — | — |
| 2017 | 35" | 17" | — |
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
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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 | 133,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 133,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 200,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2019 survey
After reports of a winterkill during the winter of 2018-19 a survey was conducted on Perry Lake to assess the fish community. Two standard gillnets, three standard trapnets, and two 3/8" trapnets were used.
Northern pike had a gillnet CPUE of 5.0. Lengths ranged from 15.6"-24.0". Lakes in this part of the state have a new northern pike regulation enacted in 2018: possession limit of 10 with not more than 2 over 26". All from 22"-26" must be immediately released. Please refer to the current Minnesota Fishing Regulations for additional information.
Read the full DNR narrative
Yellow perch had a gillnet CPUE of 10.0, with lengths ranging from 6.0"-8.4". Only one perch was sampled in trapnets.
Black bullheads had a gillnet CPUE of 80.0, and ranged from 7.1" to 10.7", with a mean length of 8.0". Black bullheads had a standard trapnet CPUE of 122.0. Mean length was 7.9". The 3/8" trapnets had a black bullhead catch of 355.0/net. Mean length was 6.9".
Brown bullheads had a standard trapnet catch of 22.0/net, ranging from 7.7" to 10.6" in length. The 3/8" trapnets had a brown bullhead catch of 97.0/net, with fish ranging from 3.0" to 13.9" in length. Only three brown bullheads were sampled in gillnets.
Golden shiners were the only other fish species sampled.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Perry Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Perry 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
- Perry Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Perry Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Adney Lake · 310 ac · 2.8 mi
- Upper Dean Lake · 259 ac · 4 mi
- Rogers Lake · 240 ac · 4.5 mi
- Dolney Lake · 272 ac · 4.7 mi
- Greer Lake · 354 ac · 5 mi
- Island Lake · 126 ac · 5.2 mi
- Velvet Lake · 167 ac · 5.2 mi
- Island Lake · 240 ac · 5.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Perry Lake?
Perry Lake reaches 23 ft at its deepest point; about 80% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Perry Lake?
Perry Lake covers 164 acres with about 2.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Perry Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Perry Lake average 5.8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Perry Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Perry Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2019.
Does Perry Lake have a public access?
Yes. Perry Lake has one public access site: Perry Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Perry Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 35"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2017.
When was Perry Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Perry 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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