Minnesota · Todd County
Pine Island Lake Fishing guide
Pine Island Lake is a 238-acre lake in Todd County, Minnesota, reaching 26 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 14.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers36per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 84 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 84 fish
2024Lengths measured · 66 fish
2019Lengths measured · 46 fish
2016Lengths measured · 26 fish
2013Northern pikeGood numbers12.2per gill net14"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 84 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 84 fish
2024Lengths measured · 60 fish
2016Lengths measured · 93 fish
2011Lengths measured · 63 fish
2005BluegillFair numbers36.3per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 410 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 410 fish
2024Lengths measured · 838 fish
2016Lengths measured · 854 fish
2011Lengths measured · 267 fish
2005CrappieJust a few0.8per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 27 fish
2024Lengths measured · 45 fish
2016Lengths measured · 35 fish
2013Lengths measured · 118 fish
2011Rates 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 Pine Island Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 14.5 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 14.5 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.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 27" | 18" | 23" |
| 2019 | — | 19" | — |
| 2016 | 35" | 17" | 24" |
| 2013 | — | 17" | — |
| 2011 | 31" | 20" | 29" |
| 2005 | 31" | 18" | 24" |
| 1999 | 24" | 17" | 26" |
| 1993 | 32" | 14" | 27" |
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:
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 · 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
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Walleye | 120 yearlings · 120 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 3,317 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Pine Island is primarily managed for Northern Pike and Black Crappie and secondarily for Walleye and Largemouth Bass. Pine Island Lake is a relatively shallow lake that is best suited for Northern Pike and panfish. In 2024, a Standard Survey was conducted on Pine Island Lake which included spring daytime electrofishing, standard summer gill netting, and summer trap netting. IBI (Index of Biotic Integrity) sampling was also performed in 2024, and consisted of backpack electrofishing, and shoreline seine hauls. We use gill nets to sample Northern Pike, Walleye, and Yellow Perch while trap nets are used to sample Bluegill and other panfish along the shorelines. Largemouth Bass and Black Crappie are usually best evaluated in the spring with electrofishing gear.
Pine Island Lake has a reputation for being a "hammerhandle" lake and unfortunately, this year the survey results emphasize that more than ever with few fish over or in the 22-26 inch immediate release slot and an average size of less than 16 inches. The 2024 gill net catch was at the high end of the lake's historical range at over 12 per gill net lift. It may be beneficial to harvest smaller 15-21 inch Northern Pike and the release of any fish measuring over 22 inches. 2024 was the first time there was not a Northern Pike sampled larger than 28 inches in Pine Island.
Read the full DNR narrative
As for Bluegill the number sampled was well below the lake's average. Although the numbers fell the size structure of these fish vastly improved from all previous years. In 2024, 45% of the sampled Bluegill were over 7 inches and 5.5% of the sampled Bluegill were over 8 inches including an 8.8 inch specimen, the largest Bluegill ever measured in Pine Island trap nets.
Largemouth Bass size structure and abundance have not shifted dramatically based on historical electrofishing results. The percent of fish sampled over 15 inches was 19.5%, in 2024 with the largest measuring almost 19 inches. Average length was 12.3 inches. In 2024 a total of 27 Crappie were caught when combining the gill net and trap net efforts. Only 1 of the 27 (3.5%) sampled Black Crappie measured over 10 inches. Similar numbers and size structures have been evident in gill nets and summer trap nets from previous surveys dating back to 1993. Past spring trap netting and electrofishing efforts have shown better representation of fish over 10 inches though crappies were not targeted in the 2024 spring electrofishing.
The 2024 gill net sample of Walleye consisted of one fish which was not unexpected since the lake has not been stocked since 2016 when it was placed on a lower priority "surplus" status for stocking. Gill net catches have been below 1.7 per lift since 2005 despite consistent stocking from 2000 to 2016.
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Pine Island Lake was conducted on June 18 and 20, 2024 by Little Falls Area Fisheries Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot seine. Backpack electrofishing was performed at all stations with one site being electrofished from the boat. Seining was completed at nine of ten sampling stations. Some seine hauls consisted of lengthened hauls or double passes to increase the area sampled. Nearshore sampling captured 19 species of fish including two species considered intolerant of disturbance, Banded Killifish and Blackchin Shiner. One species that is tolerant of disturbance (Green Sunfish) was sampled.
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from the July 2024 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Banded Killifish, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Data from this survey suggests Pine Island Lake displays good lake health as indicated by the FIBI score of 62 which is above the impairment threshold (38) and the "exceptional" threshold (59) for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. The score from 2024 is similar to past scores in 2011 (69) and 2016 (66), which were both "Exceptional" and the species composition/assemblage showed minimal differences. All of these scores are indicative of very favorable habitat conditions. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community during the Mississippi River-Brainerd Watershed assessment process completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Pine Island Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Pine Island 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
- Pine Island Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Pine Island Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Thunder Lake · 214 ac · 1.6 mi
- Big Lake · 297 ac · 2.4 mi
- Coal Lake · 171 ac · 3.1 mi
- Star Lake · 69 ac · 5.1 mi
- Horseshoe Lake · 121 ac · 5.5 mi
- Mill Lake · 171 ac · 5.6 mi
- Turtle Lake · 112 ac · 6 mi
- Beauty Lake · 240 ac · 7.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Pine Island Lake?
Pine Island Lake reaches 26 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 13 ft; about 52% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Pine Island Lake?
Pine Island Lake covers 238 acres with about 3.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Pine Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Pine Island Lake average 14.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Pine Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Pine Island Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2018; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Pine Island Lake have a public access?
Yes. Pine Island Lake has one public access site: Pine Island Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Pine Island Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Pine Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Pine Island Lake in 2024, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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