Minnesota · Becker County
Rock Lake Fishing guide
Rock Lake sits in Becker County, Minnesota, and covers 1,196 acres, reaching 18 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6.7 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2per gill net23"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 16 fish
2022Lengths measured · 16 fish
2016Lengths measured · 25 fish
2010Lengths measured · 42 fish
2000Largemouth bassLast stocked 2023Present, stocked1.1per gill net15"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 10 fish
2022Lengths measured · 16 fish
2016Lengths measured · 8 fish
2010Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 19 fish
2000Northern pikeOne of the best around16.6per gill net18"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 150 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 5 fish
2023Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 145 fish
2022Lengths measured · 100 fish
2016Lengths measured · 101 fish
2010BluegillLast stocked 2024Just a few13.6per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 350 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 350 fish
2022Lengths measured · 508 fish
2016Lengths measured · 421 fish
2010Lengths measured · 93 fish
2000CrappieLast stocked 2023Just a few1per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 40 fish
2022Lengths measured · 32 fish
2016Lengths measured · 18 fish
2010Lengths measured · 28 fish
2000Yellow perchGood numbers7.6per gill net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 63 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 1 fish
2023Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 62 fish
2022Lengths measured · 6 fish
2016Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 196 fish
2010Rates 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 Rock 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 84% 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. A 18-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 84% 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. A 18-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 25" | — | — |
| 2022 | 32" | 27" | 16" |
| 2016 | 35" | 26" | 16" |
| 2010 | 32" | 27" | 19" |
| 2000 | 23" | 21" | 13" |
| 1995 | 31" | 26" | 8" |
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 · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
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
Flipping/Punching Creature Bait
4" beaver/creature-style 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Bluegill Sunfish | 122 adults |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,000,000 fry |
| 2023 | Black Crappie | 7 adults |
| 2023 | Bluegill Sunfish | 112 adults |
| 2023 | Largemouth Bass | 1 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 1,000,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 1,000,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,000,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 2,000,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Rock Lake is a 1,048-acre lake located about eight miles northeast of Detroit Lakes in central Becker County. The lake periodically experiences winterkill of varying degrees. Very light winterkills, where a few dead fish are observed at the outlet in the spring, are relatively common. Property owners reported dead fish in the spring of 2023. A targeted fisheries survey was conducted in May 2023 to observe the severity of the winterkill.
Dead fish of all species were observed while surveying. Trap nets captured Northern Pike, White Sucker, Tadpole Madtom, Yellow Perch, and three species of bullhead, all species which are more tolerant to low oxygen conditions. Bullheads were abundant. Northern Pike were caught in good numbers with an average length of 20 inches. Unfortunately, Rock Lake appears to have experienced a significant winterkill for Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Largemouth Bass during the 2022-2023 winter. This would be the first major winterkill since the winter of 1995-1996. As a result, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Black Crappie were reintroduced during 2023. Angling opportunities for Northern Pike are still available, but it will take a few years to have quality fishing for other species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Rock Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Rock 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
- Rock Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Rock Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Rice Lake · 231 ac · 1.7 mi
- Buffalo Lake · 418 ac · 3.5 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 361 ac · 3.7 mi
- North Tamarack Lake · 1,442 ac · 3.9 mi
- Cotton Lake · 1,763 ac · 4 mi
- Little Floyd Lake · 215 ac · 5.1 mi
- Hanson Lake · 35 ac · 5.3 mi
- Little Sugar Bush Lake · 221 ac · 5.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Rock Lake?
Rock Lake reaches 18 ft at its deepest point; about 84% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Rock Lake?
Rock Lake covers 1,196 acres with about 10.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Rock Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Rock Lake average 6.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Rock Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Rock Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked bluegill sunfish and walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Rock Lake have a public access?
Yes. Rock Lake has one public access site: Rock Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Rock Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 32"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Rock Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Rock Lake in 2023, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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