Minnesota · Cook County
Pike Lake Fishing guide
Pike Lake is a 814-acre lake in Cook County, Minnesota, reaching 45 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 17.1 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeExcellent numbers7.8per gill net15"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 87 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 87 fish
2023Lengths measured · 100 fish
2019Lengths measured · 124 fish
2015Lengths measured · 96 fish
2009Smallmouth bassPresent1.8per gill net1"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 149 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 149 fish
2023Lengths measured · 131 fish
2019Lengths measured · 45 fish
2015Lengths measured · 41 fish
2009Northern pikeJust a few1.6per gill net25"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 21 fish
2023Lengths measured · 8 fish
2019Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 14 fish
2015Lengths measured · 13 fish
2009Yellow perchGood numbers9.7per gill net1"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 2978 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 2978 fish
2023Lengths measured · 10 fish
2019Lengths measured · 60 fish
2015Lengths measured · 119 fish
2009Last recorded in the 2019 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 Pike Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 17.1 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 45 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.
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn. At 17.1 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Smallmouth are post-spawn on rock points, gravel bars and the adjacent breaks.
- Summer
- Smallmouth are on rock humps, points and hard-bottom breaks. On a lake that drops to 45 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Smallmouth are bunched tight on deep rock, so find one and you have found the school.
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 | Smallmouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 26" | 18" | 36" |
| 2019 | 27" | 21" | 31" |
| 2015 | 28" | 18" | 38" |
| 2009 | 23" | 19" | 26" |
| 2006 | 25" | 18" | 32" |
| 2003 | 23" | 18" | 39" |
| 1999 | 25" | 17" | 38" |
| 1995 | 25" | 18" | 33" |
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · 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
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 2023 survey
Pike Lake is an 814-acre lake located 9 miles west of Grand Marais. Public access is through a boat landing on the south side of the lake. It lies within the Lake Superior North watershed, draining to Lake Superior via Murmur Creek, Caribou Creek, and the Poplar River. Many different fish species have been historically stocked (bass, walleye, trout, sunfish) into Pike Lake with rainbow trout being the last stocked in 1978. Walleye and smallmouth bass are the primary and secondary management species in the lake. The 2023 survey was conducted to monitor the fish community and evaluate abundance and size goals set for the walleye and smallmouth bass populations.
Walleye catch rates did not change from the previous survey in 2019 and were slightly down from surveys historically. However, walleye catch rates are considerably higher when compared to other walleye lakes in the area. Walleye ranged from 7 to 26 inches, while the average length and weight of walleye sampled in gill nets was just under 16 inches and about 1.5 lbs, both of which were considered above average compared to historical results for the lake. All walleye were reproduced naturally.
Read the full DNR narrative
Smallmouth bass catch rates were down slightly from the last two surveys in 2015 and 2019, but within the normal range for the lake. Smallmouth bass ranged from 6 to 18 inches in length and were good sized. Of the "catchable" sized bass (eight inches or longer) sampled in 2023, about 88% were longer than twelve inches, and about 47% were 16 inches or longer. Smallmouth bass easily exceeded the size goal set for Pike Lake with excellent size structure that anglers will enjoy.
Since first being found in 1983 northern pike catch rates have been low to moderate. The 2023 survey was towards the upper end of the normal range for the lake and slightly higher compared to other lakes in the area. Northern pike found in the survey were large and ranged between 21 to 36 inches with many larger than 30 inches. Pike Lake continues to support somewhat low densities of large sized northern pike with an average size greater than five lbs.
Yellow perch populations had been declining from 2006 to 2019 but bounced back into the normal range in 2023. Yellow perch ranged from 5 to 13 inches in size with a decent proportion of fish over nine inches. High numbers of young of year yellow perch in quarter-inch trap nets indicate good recruitment in 2023. Yellow perch provide an excellent forage base for walleye and good numbers of larger yellow perch are desirable for anglers.
Lake whitefish catch rates were average for Pike Lake and similar to other lakes in the area. Lake whitefish ranged between 14 and 23 inches with many fish larger than 20 inches. A temperature-dissolved oxygen profile completed during this survey found cold, well-oxygenated habitat suitable for whitefish present for a sufficient range of the water column. These results indicate that lake whitefish populations are still in good shape in Pike Lake.
Cook County, Minnesota lakes continue to be susceptible to aquatic invasive species introductions. Invasive species have the potential to significantly alter fish communities and overall lake health. Anglers should clean watercraft and fishing gear, drain all water, and dispose of unused bait in the trash to prevent accidental introductions.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Pike Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Pike 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
- Pike Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Pike Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Mark Lake · 126 ac · 1.5 mi
- Deer Yard Lake · 343 ac · 2.3 mi
- Ward Lake · 39 ac · 3.8 mi
- Caribou Lake · 721 ac · 4.6 mi
- Holly Lake · 76 ac · 4.7 mi
- Mistletoe Lake · 145 ac · 4.8 mi
- Tait Lake · 355 ac · 5.9 mi
- Christine Lake · 184 ac · 6.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Pike Lake?
Pike Lake reaches 45 ft at its deepest point; about 27% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Pike Lake?
Pike Lake covers 814 acres with about 8.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Pike Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Pike Lake average 17.1 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Pike Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, brook trout.
Is Pike Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Pike Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Pike Lake have a public access?
Yes. Pike Lake has one public access site: Pike Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Pike 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 1995.
When was Pike Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Pike Lake in 2023, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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