Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Round Lake Fishing guide
Round Lake is a 1,650-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 51 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 14.4 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 30 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5.4per gill net17"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 200 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 38 fish
2025Lengths measured · 90 fish
2025Lengths measured · 27 fish
2024Lengths measured · 26 fish
2023Largemouth bassFair numbers28.5per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 86 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 71 fish
2025Lengths measured · 15 fish
2022Lengths measured · 32 fish
2019Lengths measured · 32 fish
2019Smallmouth bassFair numbers15.7per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 67 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 41 fish
2025Lengths measured · 26 fish
2022Lengths measured · 11 fish
2019Lengths measured · 4 fish
2019Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few4.9per gill net24"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 147 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 112 fish
2025Lengths measured · 35 fish
2022Lengths measured · 93 fish
2019Lengths measured · 1 fish
2019Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Present in recent DNR surveys.
BluegillFair numbers39.4per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 801 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 750 fish
2025Lengths measured · 51 fish
2022Lengths measured · 370 fish
2019Lengths measured · 347 fish
2019Yellow perchExcellent numbers20.9per gill net6"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 634 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 237 fish
2025Lengths measured · 397 fish
2022Lengths measured · 340 fish
2019Lengths measured · 8 fish
2019Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rock bassOne of the best around10.2per gill net5"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 367 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 266 fish
2025Lengths measured · 101 fish
2022Lengths measured · 92 fish
2019Lengths measured · 36 fish
2019Rates 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 Round Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 14.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 51 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. At 14.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 51 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 | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28" | 19" | 19" |
| 2024 | 25" | — | — |
| 2023 | 24" | — | — |
| 2022 | 27" | 17" | 17" |
| 2021 | 27" | — | — |
| 2020 | 27" | — | — |
| 2019 | 27" | 16" | 18" |
| 2018 | 25" | — | — |
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
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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 | 627,000 fry · 16,929 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 627,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 627,000 fry · 11,169 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 1,254,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 627,000 fry · 3,187 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 1,254,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 627,000 fry · 13,890 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,254,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 627,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Walleye fry are stocked annually into Round Lake at the rate of 1,000 per littoral acre (627,000). Fingerling stocking is done on a contingency basis if fall electrofishing catch rates are below 15 young-of-the-year (YOY) Walleyes per hour for two consecutive years. Contingency stocking calls for one pound per littoral acre (627 pounds) and was last done in 2025. In 2017, an amendment to the Lake Management Plan added the ability to stock up to 627,000 additional Walleye fry when surplus is available. Night electrofishing was conducted on September 16th, 2025, to monitor the abundance of YOY Walleyes. The total sample time was 2 hours, resulting in a YOY Walleye catch rate of 2.5 per hour which was down from 2024 (5.5 per hour). These fish ranged in size from 5.7 to 6.9 inches, with a mean length of 6.4 inches. Age 1 and older Walleyes were sampled at a rate of 16.5 per hour. These fish ranged in size from 9.8 to 28.2 inches and had a mean length of 16.5 inches.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Round Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Round 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
- Round Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Round Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Hubert Lake · 194 ac · 1.6 mi
- Hubert Lake · 1,301 ac · 2.1 mi
- Love Lake · 79 ac · 2.2 mi
- North Long Lake · 6,190 ac · 2.4 mi
- Gladstone Lake · 437 ac · 2.5 mi
- Clark Lake · 305 ac · 3.8 mi
- Gull Lake · 10,010 ac · 4 mi
- Nisswa Lake · 219 ac · 4.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Round Lake?
Round Lake reaches 51 ft at its deepest point; about 38% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Round Lake?
Round Lake covers 1,650 acres with about 6.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Round Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Round Lake average 14.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Round Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Round Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Round Lake have a public access?
Yes. Round Lake has one public access site: Round Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Round Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 28"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2018.
When was Round Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Round Lake in 2025, the most recent of 30 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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