Minnesota · Becker County
Pickerel Lake Fishing guide
Pickerel Lake covers 361 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 74 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 17.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.8per gill net19"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 68 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 25 fish
2025Lengths measured · 43 fish
2022Lengths measured · 60 fish
2017Lengths measured · 51 fish
2012Largemouth bassPresent4.8per gill net10"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 93 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 41 fish
2025Lengths measured · 52 fish
2022Lengths measured · 28 fish
2017Lengths measured · 67 fish
2012No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeOne of the best around17per gill net20"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 308 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 167 fish
2025Lengths measured · 141 fish
2022Lengths measured · 147 fish
2017Lengths measured · 78 fish
2012BluegillJust a few21.6per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 594 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 239 fish
2025Lengths measured · 355 fish
2022Lengths measured · 349 fish
2017Lengths measured · 203 fish
2012CrappieJust a few0.6per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 9 fish
2025Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 12 fish
2022Lengths measured · 13 fish
2017Lengths measured · 11 fish
2012Yellow perchFair numbers2.9per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 59 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 25 fish
2025Lengths measured · 34 fish
2022Lengths measured · 10 fish
2017Lengths measured · 5 fish
2012Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rock bassOne of the best around8.9per gill net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 189 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 60 fish
2025Lengths measured · 129 fish
2022Lengths measured · 79 fish
2017Lengths measured · 144 fish
2012Rates 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 Pickerel Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 17.7 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 74 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 17.7 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 74 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.
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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35" | 24" | 16" |
| 2022 | 32" | 23" | 16" |
| 2017 | 34" | 23" | 16" |
| 2012 | 32" | 27" | 17" |
| 2006 | 27" | 24" | 19" |
| 2001 | 35" | 26" | 14" |
| 1996 | 31" | 23" | 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:
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Trolling
Muskie Trolling (big cranks)
8–10" large diving crankbait rated for the target depth
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
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 | 246,000 fry · 3,075 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 247,913 fry · 1,845 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 246,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 246,000 fry · 3,567 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 246,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 246,000 fry · 336 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 123,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 246,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Pickerel Lake is a long, narrow, 361-acre lake located about seven miles northeast of Detroit Lakes. It has a steep, rocky shoreline over much of its length. There are no inlets or outlets and the high-water levels beginning in 1998 were primarily influenced by groundwater. A 22-acre bay connected to the south end is over 70 feet deep and tends to be cooler and well-oxygenated than the main lake basin, although the entire lake could possibly support cold water fish species. The DNR stocks Walleye fry annually to maintain the fishery. Walleye fingerlings have also been stocked in 2019, 2022, 2024, and 2025 by the lake association. A targeted fisheries survey using nine gill nets was completed in July 2025 to assess the Walleye population of Pickerel Lake. Gill nets are also the standard sampling gear for Northern Pike and Yellow Perch, providing a secondary opportunity to utilize survey data on these game species.
Walleye catch rates have fluctuated significantly throughout the years at Pickerel Lake. Walleye catch rates have continued to decline since the 2006 survey when 17.9 Walleye per gill net were sampled. The catch rate reached a near record low in 2025 at 2.8 Walleye per gill net. This is well below the lake's historic mean catch rate of 9.7 Walleye per gill net. The average length of Walleye was 18 inches and the longest Walleye measured was 24 inches. Nine different ages of Walleyes were sampled with fish as old as 16 years collected. Age-3 fish (2022 year class) were most abundant making up 44% of the sample. The 2018-year class (seven year old fish) also showed up in better than expected numbers.
Read the full DNR narrative
The Northern Pike gill net catch in Pickerel Lake has continued to increase since the 2004 survey. Unfortunately, the 2025 catch rate of 18.7 pike per gill net reached a new record high. The elevated pike numbers are likely affecting the Walleye abundance in the lake. About 16% of the pike were greater than 24 inches in 2025, which is about the same as the 2022 survey. The average length of Northern Pike surveyed in 2025 was 21 inches and the longest was 36 inches. Yellow Perch numbers have been below average since the 1996 survey. Yellow Perch were caught at 2.7 perch per gill net in 2025, a slight decrease from 3.2 per gill net in 2022. Perch averaged 6.5 inches and the longest was seven inches. Ideally, it would be good to see Yellow Perch numbers increase at the lake as they serve as an important forage species for gamefish. Largemouth Bass gill net catch rate remained high for gill nets with 4.8 bass per net sampled, nearly the same as the 2022 survey. Largemouth Bass averaged 11.5 inches with fish up to 17 inches caught. Gill nets also captured a fair number of Bluegill. Bluegill of all sizes were caught in decent numbers. Bluegill averaged 6.5 inches and measured up to 9.75 inches. Rock Bass abundance declined from the last survey conducted in 2022. Gill nets captured eleven Rock Bass per net in 2022 compared to seven Rock Bass per net in 2025. Black Crappie were captured in low numbers, but fish up to 12 inches were sampled. Other species sampled were Brown and Yellow Bullhead, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, and White Sucker.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Pickerel Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Pickerel 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
- Pickerel Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Pickerel Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Cotton Lake · 1,763 ac · 1.6 mi
- Perch Lake · 48 ac · 2.1 mi
- Hanson Lake · 35 ac · 3.4 mi
- Rock Lake · 1,196 ac · 3.7 mi
- North Tamarack Lake · 1,442 ac · 4.6 mi
- Little Floyd Lake · 215 ac · 4.8 mi
- Rice Lake · 231 ac · 5.4 mi
- Floyd Lake · 1,178 ac · 5.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Pickerel Lake?
Pickerel Lake reaches 74 ft at its deepest point; about 34% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Pickerel Lake?
Pickerel Lake covers 361 acres with about 7.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Pickerel Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Pickerel Lake average 17.7 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Pickerel Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Pickerel Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Pickerel Lake have a public access?
Yes. Pickerel Lake has one public access site: Pickerel Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Pickerel 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 1996.
When was Pickerel Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Pickerel Lake in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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