Minnesota · Beltrami County
Pimushe Lake Fishing guide
Pimushe Lake sits in Beltrami County, Minnesota, and covers 1,230 acres, reaching 40 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 7.9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers3.4per gill net13"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 43 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 43 fish
2022Lengths measured · 30 fish
2017Lengths measured · 32 fish
2008Lengths measured · 50 fish
1999Northern pikeFair numbers9.5per gill net18"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 123 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 123 fish
2022Lengths measured · 75 fish
2017Lengths measured · 86 fish
2008Lengths measured · 81 fish
1999BluegillJust a few7.5per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 115 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 115 fish
2022Lengths measured · 172 fish
2017Lengths measured · 175 fish
2008Lengths measured · 30 fish
1999CrappieJust a few1.6per trap net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 45 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 45 fish
2022Lengths measured · 38 fish
2017Lengths measured · 56 fish
2008Lengths measured · 33 fish
1999Yellow perchGood numbers7.4per gill net5"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 95 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 95 fish
2022Lengths measured · 99 fish
2017Lengths measured · 262 fish
2008Lengths measured · 119 fish
1999Rock bassGood numbers0.9per seine haul8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 11 fish
2022Lengths measured · 11 fish
2017Lengths measured · 18 fish
2008Lengths measured · 7 fish
1999Only 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 Pimushe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 24" | 31" | 16" |
| 2017 | 22" | 30" | 17" |
| 2008 | 21" | 33" | 14" |
| 1999 | 24" | 25" | 18" |
| 1993 | 28" | 26" | 17" |
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 · 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
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Pimushe Lake, which is located partially within the Leech Lake Reservation, on August 7th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (oxythermal habitat) available to coldwater fish species such as Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. During the summer, Cisco require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F), and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. This layer can be characterized using a single variable, TDO3, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L. During this survey, TDO3 was 21.6 degrees C (70.9 degrees F), which indicates that oxythermal conditions were unsuitable for coldwater species at the time of the survey.
Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the late summer period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to August 24th) in 2008 indicated unsuitable oxythermal habitat, when the oxythermal habitat layer was not present. However, a survey completed in 2024 did indicate marginal habitat for Cisco, with a TDO3 of 20.5 degrees C. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available coldwater species are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Pimushe Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Pimushe 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
- Pimushe Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Pimushe Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Big Rice Lake · 643 ac · 2.7 mi
- Webster Lake · 47 ac · 3.1 mi
- South Twin Lake · 222 ac · 3.1 mi
- Moose Lake · 601 ac · 3.3 mi
- Little Rice Lake · 123 ac · 3.9 mi
- North Twin Lake · 326 ac · 4.1 mi
- Kitchi Lake · 1,865 ac · 4.7 mi
- Rabideau Lake · 680 ac · 5.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Pimushe Lake?
Pimushe Lake reaches 40 ft at its deepest point; about 53% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Pimushe Lake?
Pimushe Lake covers 1,230 acres with about 17.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Pimushe Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Pimushe Lake average 7.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Pimushe Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Pimushe Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Pimushe Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Pimushe Lake have a public access?
Yes. Pimushe Lake has one public access site: Pimushe Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Pimushe Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Pimushe Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Pimushe Lake in 2025, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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