Minnesota · Carver County
Piersons Lake Fishing guide
Piersons Lake sits in Carver County, Minnesota, and covers 267 acres, reaching 40 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 7.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2022Fair numbers2per gill net20"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 16 fish
2025Lengths measured · 8 fish
2020Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Largemouth bassPresent1.2per gill net8"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 17 fish
2025Lengths measured · 15 fish
2020Lengths measured · 7 fish
2013Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2007Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers6.3per gill net20"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 44 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 44 fish
2025Lengths measured · 57 fish
2020Lengths measured · 52 fish
2013Lengths measured · 36 fish
2007BluegillFair numbers38.7per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 568 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 568 fish
2025Lengths measured · 759 fish
2020Lengths measured · 307 fish
2013Lengths measured · 1645 fish
2007CrappieJust a few3.3per trap net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 81 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 81 fish
2025Lengths measured · 95 fish
2020Lengths measured · 49 fish
2013Lengths measured · 64 fish
2007Last recorded in the 2013 survey and not seen since.
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 Piersons 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. On a lake that drops to 40 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.
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. On a lake that drops to 40 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27" | 33" | 16" |
| 2020 | 24" | 34" | 14" |
| 2013 | — | 32" | 21" |
| 2007 | — | 34" | 15" |
| 2001 | — | 40" | 19" |
| 1994 | — | 32" | 20" |
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 · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
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 · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Walleye | 1,200 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,000 yearlings · 600 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Piersons Lake is a 267-acre lake with a maximum depth of 40 feet. Piersons is located southwest of the City of Victoria in central Carver County. Public water access is provided by the DNR (3 vehicle parking spaces and 8 vehicle/trailer parking spaces). The lake is primarily managed for Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass but also supports populations of Walleye, Bluegill and Black Crappie. A Standard Survey was conducted on Piersons Lake during the summer of 2025 to assess the gamefish populations. Eurasian Watermilfoil and Zebra Mussels have been found in Piersons Lake and remain present.
Despite inherent hurdles such as high predator numbers (Northern Pike), and a low forage base (Yellow Perch), private stocking has created a low abundance Walleye fishery in Piersons Lake. In 2025, the fish ranged in size from 17.9 to 27.2 inches in length, with an average size of 21.1 inches and 3.39 pounds.
Read the full DNR narrative
Although targeted sampling for Largemouth Bass was not conducted in 2025, 17 fish were incidentally captured in the gill nets and trap nets. The fish ranged in size from 5.3 to 16.3 inches in length, with an average size of 9.9 inches.
Northern Pike were sampled with gill nets at the high end of their expected catch rate compared to similar metro lakes. There were 37 Northern Pike sampled in gill nets, with an average size of 21.7 inches and the largest measured at 33.5 inches. There is good opportunity for Northern Pike harvest in Piersons Lake; 68% of the fish sampled in 2025 were smaller than 22 inches, and 14% exceeded 26 inches. Effective since 2018, anglers can keep 10 Northern Pike, but not more than two pike longer than 26 inches; and all from 22 to 26 inches must be released.
Bluegill were moderately abundant in 2025, and size was modest. Only 7% of the catch exceeded 7 inches, and the largest fish measured 7.8 inches in length. While Black Crappie abundance is about average compared to other similar lakes, there are some good sized fish present. Forty percent of the Black Crappie catch in 2025 exceeded 8 inches, and the largest fish measured 11.5 inches.
Other fish species sampled in low abundances were Black Bullhead, Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, Green Sunfish, Golden Shiner, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Piersons Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Piersons 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
- Pierson Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Piersons Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Wassermann Lake · 170 ac · 1.4 mi
- Kelser's Pond · 20 ac · 2 mi
- Auburn Lake · 291 ac · 2.5 mi
- Reitz Lake · 92 ac · 2.5 mi
- Bavaria Lake · 167 ac · 2.7 mi
- Steiger Lake · 166 ac · 3.1 mi
- Miller Lake · 143 ac · 3.8 mi
- Parley Lake · 258 ac · 3.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Piersons Lake?
Piersons Lake reaches 40 ft at its deepest point; about 45% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Piersons Lake?
Piersons Lake covers 267 acres with about 4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Piersons Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Piersons Lake average 7.8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Piersons Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge.
Is Piersons Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2022; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2018.
Does Piersons Lake have a public access?
Yes. Piersons Lake has one public access site: Pierson Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Piersons Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Piersons Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Piersons Lake in 2025, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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