Minnesota · Lake County
Silver Island Lake Fishing guide
Silver Island Lake covers 1,239 acres in Lake County, Minnesota, reaching 16 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 4.7 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeExcellent numbers9.2per gill net12"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 83 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 83 fish
2020Lengths measured · 215 fish
2016Lengths measured · 167 fish
2012Lengths measured · 243 fish
2008No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few2.8per gill net17"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 25 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 25 fish
2020Lengths measured · 43 fish
2016Lengths measured · 57 fish
2012Lengths measured · 65 fish
2008No recent survey rating.
CrappiePresent0.6per gill net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2020 + 2024Lengths measured · 7 fish
2024Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2020Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 20 fish
2016Lengths measured · 581 fish
2012Yellow perchGood numbers5.2per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 47 fish
2020Lengths measured · 1718 fish
2016Lengths measured · 6954 fish
2012Lengths measured · 327 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 Silver Island 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 99% 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 16-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 99% 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 16-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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | — | 17" |
| 2020 | 26" | 27" | — |
| 2016 | 24" | 28" | — |
| 2012 | 24" | 24" | 1" |
| 2008 | 26" | 35" | — |
| 2003 | 25" | 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
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 2024 survey
A targeted survey consisting of daytime electrofishing to sample Largemouth Bass was completed in spring 2024. Several bays around the lake were sampled for 10 to 25 minutes each in an attempt to capture bass, but only one adult Largemouth Bass and one adult Black Crappie were collected. These results indicate daytime electrofishing was not an effective way to sample Largemouth Bass in Silver Island Lake. It is unclear if the population is too new and small to be sampled effectively or if lake habitat limits the population to its current size. Future surveys will monitor the potential for a Largemouth Bass fishery in Silver Island Lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Silver Island Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Silver Island 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
- Silver Island Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Silver Island Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- T Lake · 295 ac · 1.6 mi
- Wye Lake · 52 ac · 2.3 mi
- Green Wing Lake · 34 ac · 2.7 mi
- Windy Lake · 456 ac · 2.9 mi
- Wanless Lake · 78 ac · 4 mi
- Coffee Lake · 130 ac · 4.1 mi
- Perent Lake · 1,598 ac · 4.6 mi
- Whitefish Lake · 346 ac · 4.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Silver Island Lake?
Silver Island Lake reaches 16 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 7.9 ft; about 99% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Silver Island Lake?
Silver Island Lake covers 1,239 acres with about 16.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Silver Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Silver Island Lake average 4.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Silver Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Silver Island Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Silver Island Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Silver Island Lake have a public access?
Yes. Silver Island Lake has one public access site: Silver Island Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Silver Island 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 2003.
When was Silver Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Silver Island Lake in 2024, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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