Minnesota · Itasca County
Round Lake Fishing guide
Round Lake is a 460-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota, reaching 40 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 14.8 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers6.3per gill net15"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 57 fish
2022Lengths measured · 75 fish
2015Lengths measured · 125 fish
2006Lengths measured · 85 fish
1999Largemouth bassPresent5.4per gill net9"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 49 fish
2022Lengths measured · 34 fish
2015Lengths measured · 17 fish
2006Lengths measured · 73 fish
1999Northern pikeJust a few4per gill net26"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 36 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 36 fish
2022Lengths measured · 23 fish
2015Lengths measured · 6 fish
2006Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 18 fish
1999BluegillPresent15.3per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 138 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 138 fish
2022Lengths measured · 181 fish
2015Lengths measured · 59 fish
2006Lengths measured · 236 fish
1999CrappiePresent3.7per gill net11"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 33 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 33 fish
2022Lengths measured · 2 fish
2015Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2006Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
1993Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchExcellent numbers17.1per gill net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 154 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 154 fish
2022Lengths measured · 144 fish
2015Lengths measured · 173 fish
2006Lengths measured · 640 fish
1999Rock bassElite fishery14.4per gill net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 130 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 130 fish
2022Lengths measured · 28 fish
2015Lengths measured · 12 fish
2006Lengths measured · 18 fish
1999Rates 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 14.8 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 40 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 14.8 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 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 22" | 15" | 37" |
| 2015 | 25" | 18" | 39" |
| 2006 | 25" | 17" | 39" |
| 1999 | 25" | 17" | 29" |
| 1993 | 22" | 18" | 31" |
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
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 | 4,302 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 5,517 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 5,736 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Round Lake is a 502-acre lake located 18 miles southeast of Bigfork, Minnesota in the Mississippi River watershed. There is a county-owned public access on the north side of the lake with limited parking. Most of the shoreline is privately-owned and relatively developed. Round Lake has moderate fertility and clear water.
The Fisheries Lake Management Plan (LMP) was last updated in 2016. Walleye were considered the primary management species while Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass were considered secondary management species. Walleye are actively managed via stocking of Mississippi strain fingerlings every fourth year. A targeted survey utilizing nine gill nets was conducted in July 2022 to collect updated information on the fishery.
Read the full DNR narrative
Yellow Perch are an important prey species in Minnesota lakes. Round Lake has generally had relatively high perch numbers compared to similar lakes. The 2022 gill-net catch (17.1/net) was above average compared to similar type lakes, but typical for Round. Perch were generally too small to be of interest to anglers, ranging from 5.7 to 9.6 inches with an average length of 7.3 inches.
Walleye were sampled at a catch rate of 6.3/gill net. This was an above average catch for the lake and met the LMP goal. The sample was predominantly "eater-sized" Walleye. Fish ranged from 7.4 to 22.6 inches with an average length of 14.6 inches. Eight ages from 1 to 13 were represented in the sample. A stocked year-class (2017, age 5) was the most frequently sampled. Growth was considered average. Walleye averaged 14.9 inches after 5 years of growth. Round Lake appears to provide good fishing opportunities for Walleye. Conditions should be favorable for Walleye management if perch numbers remain healthy.
Northern Pike were sampled at 4.0/gill net. This was an average catch for the lake and similar type lakes. Size structure was favorable. Pike ranged from 13.6 to 37.9 inches with an average length of 25.7 inches. Ages 1 through 10 were identified in the sample with no dominant year class. Growth was good compared to the statewide average. Pike averaged 25.1 inches after four years of growth. Round Lake provides good angling opportunities for Northern Pike with a chance to catch fish exceeding 30 inches. Anglers are encouraged to release pike over 26 inches to maintain the quality size structure.
Black Crappie catch rates have generally been low in past surveys. The 2022 gill-net catch rate (3.7/net) was above average for the lake and compared to similar lakes. Crappie size structure was good. Sampled crappie ranged from 6.2 to 13.8 inches with an average length of 11.1 inches. Ages 2 through 8 were represented, but a majority of fish in the sample were age-5 and older. Growth was fast compared to the statewide average. Crappie averaged 9.9 inches after 4 years. Round Lake appears to provide good angling opportunities for Black Crappie.
Largemouth Bass were captured in relatively high numbers from gill nets, as the catch of 5.4/net was above the expected range for similar lakes. The sample was dominated by small bass less than 10 inches long. Fish ranged from 5.9 to 15.9 inches with an average length of 9.5 inches. Largemouth Bass are often not sampled well with standard netting, so the presence of numbers of bass in the gill nets suggests they are an important component of the fishery. Fair angling opportunities appear to exist for bass, at least for numbers of smaller-sized fish.
Other species sampled in test nets included Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, White Sucker and Yellow Bullhead.
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
- Long (Main Bay) Lake · 346 ac · 1.3 mi
- White Swan Lake · 165 ac · 1.5 mi
- Wasson Lake · 438 ac · 2.1 mi
- Scooty Lake · 167 ac · 3.1 mi
- King Lake · 311 ac · 3.7 mi
- Hartley Lake · 288 ac · 3.8 mi
- Beaver Lake · 58 ac · 3.9 mi
- Antler Lake · 234 ac · 4.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Round Lake?
Round Lake reaches 40 ft at its deepest point; about 52% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Round Lake?
Round Lake covers 460 acres with about 4.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Round Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Round Lake average 14.8 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Round Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, 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 2017.
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 22"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Round Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Round Lake in 2022, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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