Minnesota · Itasca County
Shallow Pond Fishing guide
Shallow Pond sits in Itasca County, Minnesota, and covers 225 acres, reaching 14 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 8.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2017, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 9 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers2.8per gill net20"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 15 fish
2017Lengths measured · 26 fish
2010Lengths measured · 21 fish
2003Lengths measured · 29 fish
1996Northern pikeOne of the best around17.5per gill net19"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 77 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 77 fish
2017Lengths measured · 50 fish
2010Lengths measured · 106 fish
2003Lengths measured · 41 fish
1996CrappieJust a few0.9per trap net11"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 10 fish
2017Lengths measured · 3 fish
2010Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 16 fish
2003Lengths measured · 10 fish
1996Yellow perchElite fishery62per gill net7"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 272 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 272 fish
2017Lengths measured · 396 fish
2010Lengths measured · 187 fish
2003Lengths measured · 341 fish
1996No 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 Shallow Pond through the year
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 100% 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.
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 100% 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 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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 29" | 28" | 4" |
| 2010 | 29" | 26" | — |
| 2003 | 25" | 25" | — |
| 1996 | 30" | 27" | — |
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:
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
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 · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2017 survey
Shallow Pond is located approximately eight miles south of Northhome, MN and within the Big Fork River watershed. The 176 acre lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet and the lightly developed shoreline is 3.9 miles in length. There is a public access located on the north shore which is owned by the U.S. Forest Service. Secchi disk transparency has averaged 5.8 feet over seven surveys and has ranged from 2.0 - 9.0 feet. Water quality analysis has indicated the lake to be extremely fertile and filamentous algae blooms occur regularly. Because the lake is both fertile and shallow, it is prone to partial winterkills. However, due to the connection with the Popple River, fish are easily able to repopulate. Shallow Pond is included in ecological lake class 39. Other area lakes in this class include Battle, Bear and Dora.
The 2011 lake management plan (LMP) lists Walleye and Northern Pike as primary species for management and Black Crappie as a secondary species. The LMP goals were to 1) maintain a Walleye gill net catch rate exceeding 5.0/net, and 2) maintain a Northern Pike gill net catch near 11.6/net.
Read the full DNR narrative
A standard survey was conducted in June 2017 to assess the characteristics of the fish community using four gill nets and six trap nets. Trap net catch rates were not representative as dense mats of filamentous algae around the entire shoreline did not allow for proper placement.
The Walleye gill net catch rate decreased from 5.5/net in 2010 to 2.8/net, remained within the typical range for lakes with similar habitats but did not meet the management goal. Walleye gill net catch rates have been within this range in six of seven surveys. A total of 11 Walleye were captured in gill nets ranging in length from 13.2 - 23.5 inches with a mean length of 18.2 inches. Analysis of aging structures indicated that only one Walleye corresponded to a year in which the lake was stocked. Walleye attained a length of 15.2 inches at age-3, well above the statewide average.
The Northern Pike gill net catch rate increased from 12.0/net in 2010 to 17.5/net, which is above the range of what would be expected in lakes with similar habitats. The management goal was not met, and the gill net catch rate has been above this range in five of seven assessments. Northern Pike from gill nets ranged in length from 12.9 - 29.9 inches with a mean length of 20.3 inches. Size structure was poor as the average length was 20.3 inches and only 1% of the fish sampled exceeded 28 inches. No ageing structures were collected in this survey, but previous surveys have shown growth rates near the statewide average.
A total of ten Black Crappie were sampled in gill and trap nets ranging in length from 8.7 - 12.2 inches. Three age classes were represented in the sample, ages 4, 5 and 7. Growth rates remained near the statewide average with an average length of 8.6 inches at age-4.
Shallow Pond has a history of high Yellow Perch gill net catches. The gill net catch rate decreased from 82.8/net in 2010 to 62.0/net, but remained well above the range of what would be expected in lakes with similar habitats. Yellow Perch gill net catches have been above this range in six of seven surveys. Yellow Perch ranged in length from 5.0 - 12.3 inches with an average length of 7.9 inches. Six Yellow Perch were captured that exceeded 12.0 inches. Yellow grub, an internal parasite, was observed in 33% of the Yellow Perch examined.
Other species sampled in this and previous surveys include: Black Bullhead, Blackchin Shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose Minnow, Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Burbot, Iowa Darter, Johnny Darter, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Tadpole Madtom, Tullibee, Whitefish, White Sucker and Yellow Bullhead.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Shallow Pond fishing reports
Recent reports on Shallow Pond 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 Pond (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Shallow Pond depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Island Lake · 3,108 ac · 4.6 mi
- Moose Lake · 412 ac · 7.2 mi
- Dunbar Lake · 268 ac · 7.4 mi
- Cameron Lake · 94 ac · 7.8 mi
- Teufer Lake · 39 ac · 8.6 mi
- Bartlett Lake · 304 ac · 8.9 mi
- Natures Lake · 2,249 ac · 9.3 mi
- Dora Lake · 423 ac · 9.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Shallow Pond?
Shallow Pond reaches 14 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Shallow Pond?
Shallow Pond covers 225 acres with about 3.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Shallow Pond?
DNR Secchi readings on Shallow Pond average 8.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Shallow Pond?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2017) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Shallow Pond stocked?
No stocking is on record for Shallow Pond in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Shallow Pond have a public access?
Yes. Shallow Pond has one public access site: Shallow Pond (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Shallow Pond?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Shallow Pond last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Shallow Pond in 2017, the most recent of 7 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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