Minnesota · Pope County
Scandinavian Lake Fishing guide
Scandinavian Lake covers 417 acres in Pope County, Minnesota, reaching 49 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7.8 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers6.2per gill net18"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 61 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 61 fish
2024Lengths measured · 59 fish
2018Lengths measured · 45 fish
2012Lengths measured · 24 fish
2006Largemouth bassOne of the best around140per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 163 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 163 fish
2024Lengths measured · 112 fish
2018Lengths measured · 34 fish
2012Lengths measured · 101 fish
2006Northern pikeGood numbers12.4per gill net21"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 118 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 118 fish
2024Lengths measured · 110 fish
2018Lengths measured · 93 fish
2012Lengths measured · 94 fish
2006BluegillFair numbers32per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 440 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 440 fish
2024Lengths measured · 400 fish
2018Lengths measured · 320 fish
2012Lengths measured · 376 fish
2006CrappieJust a few1.4per trap net5"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 65 fish
2024Lengths measured · 9 fish
2018Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 35 fish
2012Lengths measured · 17 fish
2006Yellow perchJust a few1.1per gill net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 19 fish
2024Lengths measured · 13 fish
2018Lengths measured · 21 fish
2012Lengths measured · 42 fish
2006Rates 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 Scandinavian Lake through the year
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 49 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.
- 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 49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 24" | 18" | 35" |
| 2018 | 24" | 17" | 31" |
| 2012 | 22" | 16" | 40" |
| 2006 | 24" | 18" | 30" |
| 2001 | 25" | 18" | 27" |
| 1996 | 26" | 19" | 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:
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
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 | 1,420 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 4,729 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 2,489 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 3,643 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 3,778 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Scandinavian Lake is a 417 acre basin located 14 miles south of Glenwood. The lake has a maximum depth of 50.0 feet and average depth is estimated at 11.0 feet. Water quality is good and in response, aquatic vegetation is abundant. Aquatic vegetation provides important habitat to vegetation-oriented fish species such as Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Sunfish and Black Crappie. Walleye fingerlings are stocked every other year to sustain a Walleye fishery. A public access site is located on the south shore off of South Scandi Drive.
A standard fisheries survey was completed in 2024 to gain updated information describing fish community structure and gamefish abundance. Survey methodology included a May electrofishing survey to sample the Largemouth Bass population. The netting component of the survey was completed July 15-18. A combination of nine gill nets and nine trap nets were used to sample the fish community.
Read the full DNR narrative
The Walleye population in Scandinavian Lake is sustained with fingerling or yearling stocking on an alternate year frequency. Fingerling stocking in Scandinavian Lake continues to be successful. Catch rates of Walleye during this survey were above average for this lake and year-classes of Walleye correspond to years in which fish were stocked. A majority of the Walleye caught in this survey were between 16-20 inches. Largemouth Bass were very abundant. Average size of bass captures was 10.8 inches and the largest bass caught measured l7.5 inches. Large numbers of small, likely young bass were sampled and will likely provide a good fishery in upcoming years. Netting catch rates documented that Northern Pike remain abundant. Although a majority of pike were between 19 and 23 inches, average size of pike has improved over the last few surveys. The number of large pike, between 30 and 36 inches has also increased. Bluegill abundance is high, which has likely led to slower growth rates. A majority of Bluegill observed in the survey were from 4 to 7 inches, but some fish up to 9 inches are present. Black Crappie catch rates have increased due to a very large year-class from 2022. Crappie growth rates are near average and fish from this year class should quickly grow to larger sizes. Yellow Perch abundance is low, likely as a result of high abundance of Northern Pike, Walleye and Largemouth Bass.
Eurasian watermilfoil has been present in Scandinavian Lake since 2014 and zebra mussels were first discovered in 2023. Zebra mussel infestations in area lakes have typically led to clearer water and an increase in aquatic vegetation. Anglers are reminded to drain boats and equipment prior to moving between bodies of water to minimize the risk of transferring aquatic invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Scandinavian Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Scandinavian 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
- Scandinavian Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Scandinavian Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Goose Lake · 324 ac · 1.1 mi
- Gilchrist Lake · 336 ac · 1.9 mi
- Lake Linka · 178 ac · 2.8 mi
- Camp Lake · 230 ac · 3.7 mi
- Lake Johanna · 1,399 ac · 6.5 mi
- Nelson Lake · 293 ac · 6.9 mi
- Monson Lake · 208 ac · 9.4 mi
- Signalness Lake · 42 ac · 10.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Scandinavian Lake?
Scandinavian Lake reaches 49 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 11 ft; about 55% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Scandinavian Lake?
Scandinavian Lake covers 417 acres with about 4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Scandinavian Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Scandinavian Lake average 7.8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Scandinavian Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Scandinavian Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Scandinavian Lake have a public access?
Yes. Scandinavian Lake has one public access site: Scandinavian Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Scandinavian Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Scandinavian Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Scandinavian Lake in 2024, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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