Minnesota · St. Louis County
Prairie Lake Fishing guide
Prairie Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 794 acres, reaching 47 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 4.6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.4per gill net16"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 34 fish
2023Lengths measured · 23 fish
2015Lengths measured · 35 fish
2010Lengths measured · 174 fish
2005Northern pikeJust a few1.9per gill net23"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 30 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 30 fish
2023Lengths measured · 48 fish
2015Lengths measured · 44 fish
2010Lengths measured · 27 fish
2005BluegillJust a few4.8per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 59 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 59 fish
2023Lengths measured · 40 fish
2015Lengths measured · 37 fish
2010Lengths measured · 783 fish
2005CrappieJust a few1.7per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 121 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 121 fish
2023Lengths measured · 268 fish
2015Lengths measured · 137 fish
2010Lengths measured · 65 fish
2005Yellow perchGood numbers12per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 169 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 169 fish
2023Lengths measured · 200 fish
2015Lengths measured · 89 fish
2010Lengths measured · 366 fish
2005Rock bassExcellent numbers18.3per seine haul6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 23 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 23 fish
2023Lengths measured · 12 fish
2015Lengths measured · 14 fish
2010Lengths measured · 14 fish
2005Rates 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 Prairie 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 47 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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 47 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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 24" | 15" | 32" |
| 2015 | 21" | — | 32" |
| 2010 | 21" | 4" | 37" |
| 2005 | 22" | 2" | 35" |
| 1995 | 23" | 4" | 26" |
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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
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 | 280,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 300,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 270,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 300,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 270,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Prairie Lake was conducted on August 13th-20th, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 14 sampling stations. Similarly, a 1/8" mesh mini-fyke net was used to sample 14 stations. Finally, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 11 stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at one station. Nearshore sampling captured 22 species of fish.
The nearshore data along with gill net and standard trap net data will be used to develop fish community models for Northeast Minnesota lakes, which will be used to measure lake health. These models may function similarly to fish IBI models developed for lakes across much of the rest of the state. For additional information, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website. You can help protect the fish community in Prairie Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Prairie Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Prairie 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
- Prairie Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Prairie Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Blackwood Lake · 34 ac · 1.2 mi
- Cross Lake · 107 ac · 4.6 mi
- Springer Lake · 8 ac · 4.8 mi
- Upper (North) Island Lake · 114 ac · 7.3 mi
- Lower (South) Island Lake · 320 ac · 8.6 mi
- Tamarack Lake · 235 ac · 9.9 mi
- Eagle Lake · 389 ac · 10.1 mi
- Martin Lake · 68 ac · 10.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Prairie Lake?
Prairie Lake reaches 47 ft at its deepest point; about 34% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Prairie Lake?
Prairie Lake covers 794 acres with about 8.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Prairie Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Prairie Lake average 4.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Prairie Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Prairie Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Prairie Lake have a public access?
Yes. Prairie Lake has one public access site: Prairie Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Prairie 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 1995.
When was Prairie Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Prairie Lake in 2025, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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