Minnesota · Aitkin County
Section Ten Lake Fishing guide
Section Ten Lake is a 436-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota, reaching 17 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 6.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassJust a few19.5per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 88 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 88 fish
2025Lengths measured · 13 fish
2020Lengths measured · 116 fish
2015Lengths measured · 25 fish
2010Northern pikeJust a few5.3per gill net18"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 24 fish
2025Lengths measured · 24 fish
2020Lengths measured · 19 fish
2015Lengths measured · 50 fish
2010BluegillJust a few11.1per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 136 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 136 fish
2025Lengths measured · 81 fish
2020Lengths measured · 175 fish
2015Lengths measured · 34 fish
2010CrappieJust a few4.2per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 62 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 62 fish
2025Lengths measured · 42 fish
2020Lengths measured · 61 fish
2015Lengths measured · 31 fish
2010No recent survey rating.
Rates 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 Section Ten 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. With 95% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 17-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 17-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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21" | 19" | 32" |
| 2020 | — | 15" | 29" |
| 2015 | — | 19" | 31" |
| 2010 | 23" | 17" | 31" |
| 2006 | 23" | 20" | 26" |
| 1996 | 26" | 19" | 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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Flipping/Punching Creature Bait
4" beaver/creature-style bait
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Walleye | 3,526 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 4,944 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 5,682 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 411,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Section Ten (Wladimiraf) is a 421-acre lake located in southwestern Aitkin County. The public access is located on the east side of the lake. Most of the lake is less than 10 feet deep with a 17-foot hole located in the western bay. Substantial beds of emergent vegetation such as bulrush still exist along much of the shoreline, creating excellent habitat for bass and panfish.
Anglers at Section 10 will find opportunities for Bluegill, Black Crappie, Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass. A small population of Walleye is still present, but all stocking of Walleye in Section 10 ceased by 2022. Some Walleye may continue to be encountered due to connectivity with Sissabagamah Lake, which is stocked.
Read the full DNR narrative
Black Crappie relative abundance was above average for lakes of this type and were captured at a rate of 8.0 per gill net. The average size was 9.0 inches and fish up to 10.5 inches were observed, indicating that some quality-sized fish are present in Section 10.
Relative abundance of Bluegill captured in trap nets increased from the 2020 survey (6.6 per net) to 11.1 per net in 2025. The Bluegill population in Section 10 is comprised of generally small fish, as no Bluegill over 8.0 inches were captured in 2025. High relative abundance of quality and preferred-size Largemouth Bass likely regulate the Bluegill population in Section 10, although growth rates of Bluegill are also rather slow, reaching only 4.2 inches in 4 years.
Northern Pike relative abundance has been relatively stable at a level lower than what is typical for this type of lake. The gill net catch rate of 5.3 fish per net was also similar to the long-term average of 5.4 per net. Northern Pike size structure improved slightly since the last survey, with an average length of 22.3 inches, and fish observed up to 32.3 inches observed in the gill net sample. Anglers are encouraged to release large Northern Pike, as they generally benefit a system's fish community.
Largemouth Bass are abundant in Section 10 and were captured at a rate of 32.5 per hour while electrofishing. Size structure of Largemouth Bass is satisfactory, with fish observed up to 18.8 inches and an average length of just under 12.0 inches. Further, Largemouth Bass were captured at a rate of 4.0 per gill net, up from 2.3 per gill net in the previous survey. Gill net catch rates of Largemouth bass are well-above average for the lake class and have been above this benchmark in all historical surveys back to 1991.
Yellow Bullhead were captured at a rate of 45.3 per gill net, indicating a high abundance is present in Section 10.
In addition to the standard survey work, IBI (Index of Biotic Integrity) sampling using backpack electrofishing and seining was also conducted in 2025 (Targeted Survey 07/29/2025) to more broadly sample the general fish community and develop a fish-based index of overall lake health. Fifteen nearshore fish species were sampled during the IBI survey including Blackchin Shiner, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Bluntnose Minnow, Central Mudminnow, Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Iowa Darter, Johnny Darter, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Pumpkinseed, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Section Ten Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Section Ten 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
- Wladimiraf Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Section Ten Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Section Twelve Lake · 170 ac · 0.9 mi
- Sissabagamah Lake · 406 ac · 1.3 mi
- Four Lake · 137 ac · 1.5 mi
- Elm Island Lake · 520 ac · 2.1 mi
- Nord Lake · 418 ac · 2.4 mi
- Hanson Lake · 143 ac · 2.7 mi
- Rabbit Lake · 212 ac · 3.5 mi
- Ripple Lake · 631 ac · 3.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Section Ten Lake?
Section Ten Lake reaches 17 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 7 ft; about 95% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Section Ten Lake?
Section Ten Lake covers 436 acres with about 4.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Section Ten Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Section Ten Lake average 6.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Section Ten Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Section Ten Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2021; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Section Ten Lake have a public access?
Yes. Section Ten Lake has one public access site: Wladimiraf Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Section Ten Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 21"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Section Ten Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Section Ten Lake in 2025, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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