Minnesota · Cass County
Pillager Lake Fishing guide
Pillager Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 205 acres, reaching 39 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 16 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 6 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few2.7per gill net22"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 21 fish
2023Lengths measured · 6 fish
2014Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
1997Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
BluegillJust a few15.2per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 143 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 143 fish
2023Lengths measured · 3 fish
2014Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 78 fish
1997Rates 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 Pillager Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 16 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 16 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.
- 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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4" | 37" | — |
| 2014 | 16" | 28" | 22" |
| 1997 | 11" | 26" | 25" |
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:
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
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
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
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 | 70,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 70,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 70,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 70,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 70,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Pillager is a lightly developed, picturesque, little lake nestled into the hillside right off County Rd 1 north of the town of Pillager, MN. It has a park, swimming beach, fishing pier, and public access all at one location on the SW corner. Recent surveys suggest fishing for Tullibee (Cisco) is one of the better options available to anglers.
Tullibee (Cisco) were caught in high numbers (43.5/gill net) as they have been in every survey on record. Average size of these fish is 13.1". While Tullibee (Cisco) are currently considered a rough fish with no limit, anglers are asked to show restraint as to protect this unique opportunity.
Read the full DNR narrative
Bluegill numbers were average (15.2/gill net), but size wasn't great. Average size was 5.3" and 20% of the fish were 7" or larger.
Walleyes are stocked in odd number years as fry, but net catches have gone down for the last five surveys. No walleyes were captured in 2023.
Northern Pike were also caught in low numbers for this type of lake at 2.7/gill net. Average size was 23.8" with 31% above the 22-26" protected slot.
Other species such as Black Crappie (0.3/gill net), Yellow Perch (0.2/gill net), and largemouth bass (0.1/trap net) were caught in very low numbers as they have been for several surveys.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Pillager Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Pillager 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
- Pillager Lake (trailer launch)
- Pillager Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Pillager Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Beauty Lake · 19 ac · 2.4 mi
- Green Bass Lake · 44 ac · 3.3 mi
- Sylvan Lake · 894 ac · 3.6 mi
- Rock Lake · 261 ac · 3.9 mi
- Placid Lake · 538 ac · 4.3 mi
- Dade Lake · 99 ac · 5.3 mi
- Sylvan Lake · 322 ac · 5.9 mi
- Gull Lake · 10,010 ac · 7.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Pillager Lake?
Pillager Lake reaches 39 ft at its deepest point; about 35% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Pillager Lake?
Pillager Lake covers 205 acres with about 2.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Pillager Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Pillager Lake average 16 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Pillager Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Pillager Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Pillager Lake have a public access?
Yes. Pillager Lake has 2 public access sites, including Pillager Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Pillager Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 4"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Pillager Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Pillager Lake in 2023, the most recent of 6 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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