Minnesota · Murray County
Shetek Lake Fishing guide
Shetek Lake is a 3,462-acre lake in Murray County, Minnesota, reaching 10 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 1 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 27 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025One of the best around25.7per gill net11"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 710 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 249 fish
2024Lengths measured · 49 fish
2024Lengths measured · 68 fish
2023Lengths measured · 217 fish
2023Northern pikeLast stocked 2019Just a few4.5per gill net17"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 181 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 134 fish
2024Lengths measured · 38 fish
2023Lengths measured · 2 fish
2023Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2022Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
CrappieJust a few5.2per trap net6"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 262 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 54 fish
2024Lengths measured · 164 fish
2023Lengths measured · 44 fish
2022Lengths measured · 71 fish
2020Yellow perchLast stocked 2017Good numbers12.3per gill net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 352 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 121 fish
2024Lengths measured · 186 fish
2023Lengths measured · 11 fish
2023Lengths measured · 34 fish
2022Channel catfishExcellent numbers5.4per gill net19"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 67 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 4 fish
2023Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 63 fish
2022Lengths measured · 86 fish
2020Lengths measured · 70 fish
2018Rates 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 Shetek Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 1 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 10-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. In 1 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 100% 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 10-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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26" | — | 31" |
| 2023 | 24" | — | 32" |
| 2022 | 26" | — | 31" |
| 2020 | 18" | — | 22" |
| 2019 | 7" | — | — |
| 2018 | 24" | — | 35" |
| 2017 | 7" | — | — |
| 2016 | 26" | — | 32" |
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 · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
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 | 1,731,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 865,500 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 1,731,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 1,731,000 fry |
| 2019 | Northern Pike | 500 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 1,731,000 fry |
| 2018 | Northern Pike | 306 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,838,805 fry |
| 2017 | Yellow Perch | 1,000 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 3,596,554 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Lake Shetek, which is located near the Town of Currie, was conducted on July 1 to July 7, 2025, by Area Fisheries 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. Nearshore sampling captured 21 species of fish including one species (Iowa Darter) that is intolerant of disturbance and five species that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead, Common Carp, Bigmouth Buffalo, Orangespotted Sunfish, and Fathead Minnow).
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a August 2024 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., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish and Common Carp). 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. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of Biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov web site.
Read the full DNR narrative
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Lake Shetek is adversely impacted by stressors, as indicated by an FIBI score near/below the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings which indicated that Lake Shetek is impaired for biological health/fully supporting aquatic life. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Des Moines River watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Lake Shetek by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Shetek Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Shetek 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
- Shetek Lake (E) (trailer launch)
- Shetek Lake (SW) (trailer launch)
- Shetek Lake Marsh's Landing (trailer launch)
- Shetek Lake, Inlet (trailer launch)
- Shetek Lake, Keeley Island (trailer launch)
- Shetek Lake, Lake Shetek SPK (trailer launch)
- Shetek Lake (NW) (carry-in)
- Lake Shetek Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
- Shetek Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Shetek Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Bloody Lake · 274 ac · 2 mi
- Sarah Lake · 1,209 ac · 3.2 mi
- Fox Lake · 172 ac · 3.3 mi
- Buffalo Lake · 127 ac · 7.4 mi
- Lake of the Hill · 147 ac · 7.9 mi
- Iron Lake · 282 ac · 8.2 mi
- Yankton Lake · 403 ac · 11.1 mi
- Laura Lake · 22 ac · 11.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Shetek Lake?
Shetek Lake reaches 10 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 5 ft; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Shetek Lake?
Shetek Lake covers 3,462 acres with about 36 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Shetek Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Shetek Lake average 1 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Shetek Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Shetek Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Shetek Lake have a public access?
Yes. Shetek Lake has 9 public access sites, including Shetek Lake (E) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Shetek Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2016.
When was Shetek Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Shetek Lake in 2025, the most recent of 27 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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