Minnesota · Hubbard County
Pickerel Lake Fishing guide
Pickerel Lake sits in Hubbard County, Minnesota, and covers 310 acres, reaching 26 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 10.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.3per gill net20"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 12 fish
2021Lengths measured · 22 fish
2016Lengths measured · 18 fish
2011Lengths measured · 28 fish
2006Largemouth bassPresent1.3per gill net14"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 14 fish
2021Lengths measured · 78 fish
2016Lengths measured · 88 fish
2011Lengths measured · 85 fish
2006Northern pikeFair numbers6.7per gill net18"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 64 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 64 fish
2021Lengths measured · 86 fish
2016Lengths measured · 154 fish
2011Lengths measured · 47 fish
2006Last recorded in the 2001 survey and not seen since.
BluegillFair numbers29.1per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 261 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 261 fish
2021Lengths measured · 324 fish
2016Lengths measured · 217 fish
2011Lengths measured · 186 fish
2006CrappieJust a few0.9per trap net8"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 17 fish
2021Lengths measured · 57 fish
2016Lengths measured · 32 fish
2011Lengths measured · 66 fish
2006Yellow perchFair numbers1.3per gill net6"Typical6"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 12 fish
2021Lengths measured · 5 fish
2016Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 23 fish
2011Lengths measured · 72 fish
2006Rock bassFair numbers0.6per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 13 fish
2021Lengths measured · 10 fish
2016Lengths measured · 13 fish
2011Lengths measured · 7 fish
2006Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 Pickerel Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 10.4 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 87% 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. At 10.4 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. With 87% 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 | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 22" | 34" | 17" |
| 2016 | 23" | 28" | 18" |
| 2011 | 23" | 31" | 19" |
| 2006 | 26" | 38" | 19" |
| 2001 | 27" | 31" | 18" |
| 1996 | 22" | 34" | 15" |
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
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Flipping/Punching Creature Bait
4" beaver/creature-style bait
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 | 712 fingerlings · 255 yearlings · 5 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 2,182 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 730 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 2,024 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 6,082 fingerlings · 9 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Pickerel Lake is located ten miles north of Park Rapids in central Hubbard County. Pickerel Lake is a relatively shallow lake with a surface area of 310 acres and a maximum depth of 26 feet. There is a state-owned earthen public access located on the south shore of the east basin. Pickerel provides angling opportunities for Largemouth Bass, Panfish, and Northern Pike and Walleye.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Pickerel is in lake class 35. Class 35 lakes are characterized by having a large littoral area (water depth less than 15 feet) and an irregular shaped shoreline. Other class 35 lakes in the Park Rapids area include: Crystal, Frontenac, Middle Crooked, and Waboose.
Read the full DNR narrative
Pickerel Lake supports a healthy Largemouth Bass population and has great habitat to support them. Numbers in 2021 were in line with past surveys, with a larger than average size due to very few small bass being sampled. Largemouth Bass ranged from 12.4 to 17.4 inches in length.
Pickerel Lake supports an abundant panfish population and can provide good fishing for Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed. Anglers will find Bluegill and Pumpkinseed in the 5.5 - 8 inch size range and Black Crappie in the 7 - 9 inch size range.
Past and present surveys have shown Pickerel Lake to have a moderate Northern Pike population composed of small to medium sized fish. Sampled Northern Pike had an average length of 19.3 inches and weighed 1.6 pounds. Historically, the number of larger Northern Pike over 28 inches has been low, with only one pike larger than 28 inches in 2021.
Currently, no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Pickerel Lake. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boats before leaving the access.
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
- Blue Lake · 336 ac · 1.5 mi
- Stocking Lake · 102 ac · 2 mi
- Lower Bottle Lake · 641 ac · 2.2 mi
- Emma Lake · 78 ac · 2.6 mi
- Big Sand Lake · 1,639 ac · 3 mi
- Upper Bottle Lake · 459 ac · 3.3 mi
- Skunk Lake · 218 ac · 3.6 mi
- Potato Lake · 2,096 ac · 3.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Pickerel Lake?
Pickerel Lake reaches 26 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 6 ft; about 87% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Pickerel Lake?
Pickerel Lake covers 310 acres with about 6.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Pickerel Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Pickerel Lake average 10.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Pickerel Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, 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 2017.
Does Pickerel Lake have a public access?
Yes. Pickerel Lake has one public access site: Pickerel Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Pickerel Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 22"; 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 2021, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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