Minnesota · Wright County
Rock Lake Fishing guide
Rock Lake sits in Wright County, Minnesota, and covers 183 acres, reaching 37 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 3.2 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 2024Good numbers5.3per gill net20"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 36 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 38 fish
2024Lengths measured · 36 fish
2016Lengths measured · 20 fish
2006Lengths measured · 25 fish
1996Northern pikeJust a few1.7per gill net21"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 13 fish
2016Lengths measured · 6 fish
2006Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 41 fish
1996Rates 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
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3.2 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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.
- 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. In 3.2 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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.
- 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 | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26" | — | — |
| 2016 | 27" | 18" | 9" |
| 2006 | 23" | 19" | 8" |
| 1996 | 18" | 10" | 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:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
Bluegill · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
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 | Walleye | 50,967 fry · 77 fingerlings · 963 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 3,074 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 120 fingerlings · 1,076 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 31 fingerlings · 123 yearlings · 139 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 128 fingerlings · 115 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Rock Lake, was conducted on August 11th, 2025, by Area Fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 1 station, and a 15-foot seine was used at 5 stations. Four stations were not seined due to deep water and dense lilies. Nearshore sampling captured 12 species of fish including no species that are intolerant of disturbance and 1 species that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish).
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from an August 2016 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, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish and Common Carp). 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.
Read the full DNR narrative
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Rock Lake is adversely impacted by stressors, as indicated by an FIBI score below the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings which indicated that Rock Lake is impaired for biological health. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the North Fork Crow River watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Rock Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive 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
- Henshaw Lake · 272 ac · 2.9 mi
- Ramsey Lake · 317 ac · 3 mi
- Albert Lake · 58 ac · 3.6 mi
- Camp Lake · 123 ac · 4 mi
- South Twin Lake · 44 ac · 4.1 mi
- North Twin Lake · 49 ac · 4.1 mi
- North Berthiaume Lake · 24 ac · 4.2 mi
- South Berthiaume Lake · 20 ac · 4.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Rock Lake?
Rock Lake reaches 37 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 13.6 ft; about 54% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Rock Lake?
Rock Lake covers 183 acres with about 3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Rock Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Rock Lake average 3.2 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Rock Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Rock Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked 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 walleye get in Rock 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 1996.
When was Rock Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Rock Lake in 2025, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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