Minnesota · Wright County
Ramsey Lake Fishing guide
Ramsey Lake sits in Wright County, Minnesota, and covers 317 acres, reaching 80 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 5.1 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2017, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 9 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.7per gill net21"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 16 fish
2017Lengths measured · 52 fish
2008Lengths measured · 18 fish
1998Largemouth bassGood numbers73.7per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 162 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 162 fish
2017Lengths measured · 116 fish
2008Lengths measured · 62 fish
1998Northern pikeFair numbers6.5per gill net23"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 39 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 39 fish
2017Lengths measured · 42 fish
2008Lengths measured · 46 fish
1998BluegillJust a few22.6per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 239 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 239 fish
2017Lengths measured · 1015 fish
2008Lengths measured · 632 fish
1998CrappieJust a few1.6per trap net8"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 69 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 69 fish
2017Lengths measured · 36 fish
2008Lengths measured · 63 fish
1998Yellow perchGood numbers10.7per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 65 fish
2017Lengths measured · 35 fish
2008Lengths measured · 216 fish
1998No recent survey rating.
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 Ramsey Lake through the year
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 80 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.
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 80 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Walleye | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 19" | 24" | 35" |
| 2008 | 19" | 23" | 39" |
| 1998 | 19" | 25" | 28" |
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:
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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
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 | 67,498 fry · 2,564 fingerlings · 99 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 101,683 fry · 2,968 fingerlings · 120 yearlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 14 fingerlings · 538 adults |
| 2019 | Walleye | 2,146 fingerlings · 1 adults · 665 |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,274 fingerlings · 9 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2017 survey
A survey of near shore fish species was conducted on Ramsey Lake from July 5th - 14th, 2017 by the Sauk Rapids Area Fisheries office. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the shoreline and each site was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining, except one site where soft sediments prevented the use of a seine. Nearshore sampling captured 24 species of fish, including several species that are intolerant of shoreline disturbance and/or poor water quality (Banded Killifish, Blacknose Shiner, Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, Least Darter, and Pugnose Shiner).
The near shore fish survey data will be combined with gill net and trap net data from a July 2017 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish based Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) score based on expectations for similar lakes. The FIBI score for Ramsey Lake is above an impairment threshold developed for similar lakes.
This survey is contributing to a watershed assessment process in coordination with the MN Pollution Control Agency. Ramsey Lake is located in the North Fork Crow River Watershed.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Ramsey Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Ramsey 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
- Ramsey Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Ramsey Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Upper Maple Lake · 633 ac · 2 mi
- Henshaw Lake · 272 ac · 2.6 mi
- Sullivan Lake · 71 ac · 2.7 mi
- Mary Lake · 196 ac · 2.9 mi
- Rock Lake · 183 ac · 3 mi
- North Twin Lake · 49 ac · 3.2 mi
- South Twin Lake · 44 ac · 3.5 mi
- Light Foot Lake · 69 ac · 3.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Ramsey Lake?
Ramsey Lake reaches 80 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 21.4 ft; about 43% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Ramsey Lake?
Ramsey Lake covers 317 acres with about 3.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Ramsey Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Ramsey Lake average 5.1 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Ramsey Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2017) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass, channel catfish.
Is Ramsey Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Ramsey Lake have a public access?
Yes. Ramsey Lake has one public access site: Ramsey Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Ramsey Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 19"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1998.
When was Ramsey Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Ramsey Lake in 2017, the most recent of 7 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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