Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Platte Lake Fishing guide
Platte Lake covers 1,663 acres in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 23 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 4.6 ft of visibility. 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
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.3per gill net21"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 37 fish
Recent · 2020 + 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 7 fish
2025Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2023Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 27 fish
2020Lengths measured · 2 fish
2016Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers14.6per gill net19"Typical39"Biggest
Lengths measured · 260 fish
Recent · 2020 + 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 39 fish
2025Lengths measured · 46 fish
2023Lengths measured · 175 fish
2020Lengths measured · 18 fish
2016BluegillPresent135.8per hr (electrofishing)6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 701 fish
Recent · 2020 + 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 345 fish
2025Lengths measured · 56 fish
2023Lengths measured · 300 fish
2020Lengths measured · 305 fish
2016CrappiePresent4.1per gill net7"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 184 fish
Recent · 2020 + 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 108 fish
2025Lengths measured · 27 fish
2023Lengths measured · 49 fish
2020Lengths measured · 32 fish
2016Yellow perchJust a few0.8per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 59 fish
Recent · 2020 + 2025Lengths measured · 49 fish
2025Lengths measured · 10 fish
2020Lengths measured · 10 fish
2016Lengths measured · 4 fish
2014Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
No 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 Platte Lake through the year
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. With 97% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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. With 97% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29" | 26" | 16" |
| 2023 | 26" | 26" | — |
| 2020 | 39" | 26" | 14" |
| 2016 | 23" | 26" | 17" |
| 2014 | 34" | 25" | 18" |
| 2011 | — | 6" | — |
| 2009 | 31" | 28" | 19" |
| 2003 | 34" | 25" | 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:
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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
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 | 800,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 800,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 800,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 800,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 221,854 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Spring trap netting was performed June 9-13 to evaluate Bluegill size structure and the effects of a 10 fish bag limit on sunfish that was implemented in March 2016. Spring trap netting in 2025 caught 345 Bluegill, all were measured except three fish. In previous years, sample size ranged from 56 to 305 fish caught, the lowest catch (n=56) occurred in 2023 and was most likely due to the 2022-2023 winterkill event. In 2025, size ranging from 3.0 to 9.4 inches with a mean length of 5.2 inches. The rapid increase in sample size could be contributed to the rapid rebound from the winterkill in 2023 and/or the 10 fish bag limit that was implemented. There were several sizes of Bluegill present including spawning size adults.
In 2025 spring trap nets, Black Crappie catches can vary with sampling conditions and may not reflect actual changes. The catches in previous years ranged from 27 to 54 fish, with 27 fish caught in 2023. In 2025, there were 108 crappies caught ranging from 3.8 to 12.2 inches and a mean length of 7.9 inches. Crappies are not as sensitive to the winterkill events and less impacted than Bluegill. Black Crappies most likely increased in size structure due to less interspecific competition. No otoliths were taken in 2025, but in 2023 otoliths showed that crappie growth was slow compared to most area lakes with Age 5 fish averaged less than 9 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike and Walleye were also observed in 2025 Spring trap nets. Thirty-nine Northern Pike ranging from 12.0 to 29.2 inches with a mean length of 18.8 inches were captured. There were also 7 Walleye caught ranging in size from 13.8 to 26.8 inches and a mean length of 21.9 inches. There were 800,000 Walleye fry stocked in 2025 with most odd years also being stocked. Pumpkinseed and Hybrid Sunfish were captured in high amounts with 291 Pumpkinseed and 127 Hybrid Sunfish. The highest number species caught in the trap nets was Yellow Bullhead at 500 sampled. Other species present were Bowfin, Common Carp, Largemouth Bass, and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Platte Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Platte 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
- Platte Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Platte Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Rock Lake · 203 ac · 1.6 mi
- Long Lake · 126 ac · 1.8 mi
- Sullivan Lake · 1,103 ac · 1.9 mi
- Round Lake · 130 ac · 2.4 mi
- Erskine Lake · 182 ac · 2.9 mi
- Peavy Lake · 141 ac · 3.1 mi
- Camp Lake · 534 ac · 5.5 mi
- Whitefish Lake · 709 ac · 5.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Platte Lake?
Platte Lake reaches 23 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 8 ft; about 97% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Platte Lake?
Platte Lake covers 1,663 acres with about 13.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Platte Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Platte Lake average 4.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Platte Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Platte Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Platte Lake have a public access?
Yes. Platte Lake has one public access site: Platte Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Platte Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 39"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2003.
When was Platte Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Platte Lake in 2025, the most recent of 14 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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