Minnesota · Morrison County
Pine Lake Fishing guide
Pine Lake is a 178-acre lake in Morrison County, Minnesota, reaching 59 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 12.8 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 14 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassJust a few2.2per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 10 fish
2025Lengths measured · 65 fish
2018Lengths measured · 589 fish
2017Lengths measured · 35 fish
2016Northern pikeFair numbers7per gill net22"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 48 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 48 fish
2025Lengths measured · 31 fish
2017Lengths measured · 53 fish
2011Lengths measured · 24 fish
2005BluegillJust a few12per trap net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 238 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 238 fish
2025Lengths measured · 115 fish
2017Lengths measured · 223 fish
2011Lengths measured · 98 fish
2005CrappieJust a few0.3per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 109 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 109 fish
2025Lengths measured · 37 fish
2017Lengths measured · 42 fish
2016Lengths measured · 78 fish
2015No recent survey rating.
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 Pine Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 12.8 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. On a lake that drops to 59 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 12.8 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. On a lake that drops to 59 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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 | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33" | 18" | 7" |
| 2018 | — | 19" | — |
| 2017 | 37" | 20" | 7" |
| 2016 | — | 18" | — |
| 2015 | — | 20" | — |
| 2014 | — | 18" | — |
| 2013 | — | 18" | — |
| 2011 | 38" | 20" | 7" |
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
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Bluegill · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
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
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Pine Lake, was conducted on June 26th, 2025, by Area Fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 0 stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at 8 stations. Two stations were not seined due to steep shorelines and dense vegetation. Nearshore sampling captured 17 species of fish including 6 species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish and Least Darter) and 2 that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish and Fathead Minnow).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by Area Fisheries staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured 8 species of fish, including zero that is intolerant of disturbance. Bluegill and Yellow Bullhead comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Yellow Bullhead and Bluegill comprised a majority by biomass. The trap net catch was light overall.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net were combined with gill net data from a August 2025 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based (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., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish and Common Carp). 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.
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Pine Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score above the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings, which indicated that Pine Lake is fully supporting aquatic life. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Mississippi River - Brainerd watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Pine Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Pine Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Pine 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 Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Pine Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Cedar Lake · 236 ac · 1.2 mi
- Mound Lake · 270 ac · 2.4 mi
- Buck Lake · 61 ac · 4.1 mi
- Mary Lake · 129 ac · 4.6 mi
- Moose Lake · 131 ac · 4.9 mi
- Bass Lake · 94 ac · 5 mi
- Twin Lake · 121 ac · 5.1 mi
- Pepin Lake · 54 ac · 5.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Pine Lake?
Pine Lake reaches 59 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 17 ft; about 52% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Pine Lake?
Pine Lake covers 178 acres with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Pine Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Pine Lake average 12.8 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Pine Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Pine Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Pine Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Pine Lake have a public access?
Yes. Pine Lake has one public access site: Pine Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Pine Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 33"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2011.
When was Pine Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Pine Lake in 2025, the most recent of 14 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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