Minnesota · Wright County
Pleasant Lake Fishing guide
Pleasant Lake is a 597-acre lake in Wright County, Minnesota, reaching 74 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers4.3per gill net17"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 41 fish
2017Lengths measured · 42 fish
2007Lengths measured · 23 fish
1997Largemouth bassFair numbers22.1per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 121 fish
Recent · 2017 + 2019Lengths measured · 3 fish
2019Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 118 fish
2017Lengths measured · 108 fish
2007Lengths measured · 73 fish
1997Northern pikeGood numbers13.1per gill net21"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 130 fish
Recent · 2017 + 2019Lengths measured · 6 fish
2019Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 124 fish
2017Lengths measured · 131 fish
2007Lengths measured · 82 fish
1997BluegillJust a few23.8per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1003 fish
Recent · 2017 + 2019Lengths measured · 183 fish
2019Lengths measured · 440 fish
2017Lengths measured · 380 fish
2017Lengths measured · 706 fish
2007CrappieJust a few1per trap net10"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 44 fish
Recent · 2017 + 2019Lengths measured · 3 fish
2019Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 21 fish
2017Lengths measured · 20 fish
2017Lengths measured · 20 fish
2007Yellow perchFair numbers3.1per gill net6"Typical6"Biggest
Lengths measured · 28 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 28 fish
2017Lengths measured · 4 fish
2007Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 21 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 Pleasant 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 74 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 74 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | — | 24" | 18" |
| 2017 | 27" | 29" | 19" |
| 2007 | 26" | 31" | 19" |
| 1997 | 27" | 28" | 18" |
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 · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
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
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 | 1,483 fingerlings · 310 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 5,446 fingerlings · 222 yearlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 386 adults |
| 2019 | Walleye | 4,110 fingerlings · 2 yearlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,655 fingerlings · 114 yearlings · 379 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2019 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Pleasant Lake was conducted on August 15th, 2019 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 14 sampling stations, but two stations were sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 12 stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at two stations. Nearshore sampling captured 17 species of fish including four species that are intolerant of disturbance (Blackchin Shiner, Banded Killifish, Blacknose Shiner, and Iowa Darter) and two that are tolerant of disturbance (Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted on August 15th - 17th, 2019 by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline and in shallow offshore locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Yellow Bullhead and Bluegill comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap data were combined with gill net data from the week of July 23rd, 2018 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. Blackchin Shiner, Banded Killifish, Blacknose Shiner), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g. Black Bullhead and 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 will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Mississippi River (St. Cloud) Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Pleasant Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Pleasant 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
- Pleasant Lake (N) (trailer launch)
- Pleasant Lake (S) (trailer launch)
- Pleasant Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
- Pleasant Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Pleasant Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- John Lake · 398 ac · 2.1 mi
- Clearwater Lake · 3,187 ac · 2.2 mi
- Augusta Lake · 187 ac · 2.8 mi
- Cedar Lake · 790 ac · 3.3 mi
- Bass Lake · 223 ac · 3.5 mi
- East Lake Sylvia · 669 ac · 3.7 mi
- Otter Lake · 92 ac · 3.8 mi
- Grass Lake · 72 ac · 4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Pleasant Lake?
Pleasant Lake reaches 74 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 16 ft; about 44% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Pleasant Lake?
Pleasant Lake covers 597 acres with about 4.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Pleasant Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Pleasant Lake average 7.5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Pleasant Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Pleasant Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Pleasant Lake have a public access?
Yes. Pleasant Lake has 4 public access sites, including Pleasant Lake (N) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Pleasant Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Pleasant Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Pleasant Lake in 2019, the most recent of 9 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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