Minnesota · Itasca County
Shallow Lake Fishing guide
Shallow Lake is a 539-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota, reaching 85 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 14 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.4per gill net18"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 24 fish
2022Lengths measured · 36 fish
2014Lengths measured · 22 fish
2009Lengths measured · 22 fish
2003Largemouth bassJust a few1.3per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 15 fish
2022Lengths measured · 17 fish
2014Lengths measured · 104 fish
2009Lengths measured · 6 fish
2003Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few5.7per gill net26"Typical43"Biggest
Lengths measured · 51 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 51 fish
2022Lengths measured · 17 fish
2014Lengths measured · 25 fish
2009Lengths measured · 32 fish
2003BluegillFair numbers27.1per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 325 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 325 fish
2022Lengths measured · 95 fish
2014Lengths measured · 420 fish
2009Lengths measured · 869 fish
2003CrappieJust a few4.1per trap net8"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 94 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 94 fish
2022Lengths measured · 25 fish
2014Lengths measured · 34 fish
2009Lengths measured · 49 fish
2003Yellow perchGood numbers5.2per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 47 fish
2022Lengths measured · 44 fish
2014Lengths measured · 105 fish
2009Lengths measured · 40 fish
2003Rock bassExcellent numbers1.8per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 26 fish
2022Lengths measured · 19 fish
2014Lengths measured · 34 fish
2009Lengths measured · 38 fish
2003Rates 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 Shallow Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 14 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 85 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 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 85 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 | 27" | 16" | 43" |
| 2014 | 26" | 16" | 39" |
| 2009 | 28" | 18" | 30" |
| 2003 | 26" | 14" | 35" |
| 1997 | 22" | 16" | 30" |
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 | 4,096 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 5,360 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 5,918 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 5,360 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 3,020 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 5,918 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 5,628 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 8,844 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 5,300 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Shallow Lake was conducted beginning on June 24th, 2024 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 14 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 11 stations, a 15-foot seine was used at two stations, and site conditions prevented the use of a seine at one station. Nearshore sampling captured 16 species of fish including six species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, Least Darter, Mottled Sculpin, and Rock Bass) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance.
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a June 2022 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Banded Killifish, Least Darter, and Mottled Sculpin), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. An additional survey was completed on Shallow Lake in June 2014 resulting in a lower, but similar FIBI score. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data from this survey indicates Shallow Lake is healthy as indicated by an exceptionally high FIBI score, well above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings which indicated that Shallow Lake is fully supporting aquatic life. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Mississippi River - Grand Rapids Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Shallow Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Shallow 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
- Shallow Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Shallow Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Pancake Lake · 138 ac · 7.6 mi
- New Lake · 78 ac · 7.9 mi
- Little Split Hand Lake · 244 ac · 8.1 mi
- Little Sand Lake · 210 ac · 8.7 mi
- Lammon Aid Lake · 63 ac · 9 mi
- Split Hand Lake · 1,374 ac · 9.8 mi
- Twin Lake · 147 ac · 10.3 mi
- Trout Lake · 1,862 ac · 10.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Shallow Lake?
Shallow Lake reaches 85 ft at its deepest point; about 50% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Shallow Lake?
Shallow Lake covers 539 acres with about 5.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Shallow Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Shallow Lake average 14 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Shallow Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Shallow Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Shallow Lake have a public access?
Yes. Shallow Lake has one public access site: Shallow Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Shallow Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Shallow Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Shallow Lake in 2024, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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