Minnesota · Stearns County
School Section Lake Fishing guide
School Section Lake covers 211 acres in Stearns County, Minnesota, reaching 14 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 5 times, most recently in 2018, with largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and crappie in the nets. That survey is 8 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassElite fishery124per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 321 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 321 fish
2018Lengths measured · 43 fish
2008Northern pikeGood numbers14.7per gill net21"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 100 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 100 fish
2018Lengths measured · 72 fish
2008BluegillLast stocked 2024One of the best around200.4per trap net4"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1866 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 1866 fish
2018Lengths measured · 426 fish
2008CrappieLast stocked 2024Just a few0.9per trap net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 20 fish
2018Lengths measured · 12 fish
2008Rates 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 School Section Lake through the year
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. With 95% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze. A 14-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 95% 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 14-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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 18" | 27" | 7" |
| 2008 | 17" | 29" | 7" |
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:
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
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
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 | Black Crappie | 536 yearlings |
| 2024 | Bluegill Sunfish | 240 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2018 survey
School Section Lake is a 188 acre lake located in southeast Stearns County, near Kimball. The lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet and has a history of infrequent winterkill, most recently in 2001. The watershed is modest and the primary land uses are row crops, open water, and pasture. A public access is located on the north end of the lake. School Section Lake is primarily managed for Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass and the last survey was in 2008. Anglers can expect good fishing for Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and small Bluegill.
Water clarity was good; Secchi depth was 10 feet in late June. Dissolved oxygen was adequate to support fish down to 11 feet. No submerged vegetation surveys were done on School Section Lake in 2018 but a point intercept plant survey was conducted by DNR Wildlife staff in 2011. This survey found 12 species of submerged plants with coontail (98%) Illinois pondweed (70%) and flat-stem pondweed (64%) being the most common sampled species. Eurasian watermilfoil was also discovered in this survey and was sampled at 21% of the plots. In 2018, emergent vegetation covered only 1% of the lake area (primarily bulrush).
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike numbers were higher than 2008 and above the expected range for lakes similar to School Section. Lengths ranged from 16 to 28 inches with an average length of 22 inches. In 2018, 16% of Northern Pike were 24 inches or longer compared to 28% in 2008 when fewer pike were captured. Anglers should experience good fishing for northern pike of 22 inches or less.
Largemouth Bass were captured by daytime electrofishing on May 17 in high numbers and average size. The catch rate was over four times greater than the Sauk Rapids area average and lengths ranged from 7 to 18 inches with an average length of 14 inches. Of catchable size fish (>8 inches), 31% were 15 inches or longer. Anglers should find good fishing for largemouth bass.
Bluegill were abundant and small. Bluegill numbers were higher in 2018 than 2008, and exceeded the expected range of values for lakes similar to School Section. Bluegill lengths ranged from 3 to 8 inches with a mean length of 4.4 inches. Only one percent of Bluegill sampled were larger than seven inches.
Black crappie were uncommon and small but remained similar to the 2008 results. Lengths in 2018 ranged from 5 to 11 inches with an average length of 7 inches.
Yellow Perch were sampled for the first time since the 2001 winterkill but were still well below the expected range for lakes similar to School Section. Lengths ranged from 6 to 12 inches with an average length of 9 inches.
Other species captured during the survey included: Black Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, and Pumpkinseed.
An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) survey was also conducted on School Section Lake; results for this survey can be found in a separate report.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
School Section Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on School Section 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
- School Section Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
School Section Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Louisa Lake · 193 ac · 2.1 mi
- Carnelian Lake · 180 ac · 2.6 mi
- Marie Lake · 146 ac · 2.8 mi
- Betty Lake · 154 ac · 3.8 mi
- Caroline Lake · 137 ac · 4 mi
- Pearl Lake · 753 ac · 5.1 mi
- Union Lake · 93 ac · 5.4 mi
- Augusta Lake · 187 ac · 5.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is School Section Lake?
School Section Lake reaches 14 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 8.5 ft; about 95% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is School Section Lake?
School Section Lake covers 211 acres with about 2.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in School Section Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on School Section Lake average 9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in School Section Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2018) record largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is School Section Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked black crappie and bluegill sunfish in 2024.
Does School Section Lake have a public access?
Yes. School Section Lake has one public access site: School Section Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in School Section Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 18"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2008.
When was School Section Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed School Section Lake in 2018, the most recent of 5 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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