Minnesota · McLeod County
Silver Lake Fishing guide
Silver Lake is a 453-acre lake in McLeod County, Minnesota, reaching 10.5 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 2.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 1 time, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
BluegillJust a few8per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 72 fish
CrappieJust a few6per trap net8"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 54 fish
Yellow perchPresent3.9per trap net5"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 35 fish
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 Silver Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.7 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 98% 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 10.5-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 2.7 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 98% 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 10.5-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.
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 · Jigs & bladed
Skirted Casting Jig + Craw Trailer
3.5–4" craw-style trailer on a skirted casting/flipping jig
Bluegill · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
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 | 443,851 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 444,864 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Silver is a small lake (543 acres) located adjacent of the City of Silver Lake in McLeod County. It has four miles of shoreline, with a maximum depth of eight feet. There is a public boat access with a cement plank ramp at the west end of the lake. A total of two fishing piers are available on the north side of the lake. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has divided Minnesota's lakes into 44 different classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Silver is a class 43 lake and other similar waterbodies in the Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area are Swan and Hook Lakes in McLeod County. Silver occasionally suffers partial winterkills of fish during harsh winters. Fish populations can fluctuate widely depending on severity and frequency of winterkill. Milder winters in recent decades, with decreased winterkill frequency and severity, has led to increased boom-and-bust angling opportunities at this lake. Silver was formerly managed as a Walleye rearing pond but was switched to a recreational fishing lake in 2023. Poor Walleye fingerling production had occurred because of a lack of significant winterkills in recent years. Walleye remain the primary management species and fry are stocked every other year. Curlyleaf pondweed can form dense surface mats in May and June at Silver Lake, making boating difficult. A targeted survey (June trap netting) was conducted at Silver Lake on June 17th, 2024, to monitor the fish population.
The best option for anglers at Silver Lake are the numerous large panfish. Between Bluegill, Hybrid Sunfish, and Black Crappie there should be enough to keep anglers busy. Black Crappie averaged 8.0 inches in length and had a maximum length of 13.0 inches. Bluegill averaged an impressive 7.1 inches in length and had a maximum length of 8.8 inches. Hybrid Sunfish had a highly desirable average length of 7.3 inches with a maximum length of 9.6 inches. In addition, a solid number of Yellow Perch were sampled. Plus, an impressive 43% of the Yellow Perch catch was 9.5 inches or longer with a maximum length of 11.6 inches. Walleye have always been a main attraction at Silver Lake, but the population may need some more time. While Walleye 8.0 to 25.3 inches in length were sampled; 67% of the catch was less than 10 inches in length.
Read the full DNR narrative
Additional fish species captured in the trap nets included Black Bullhead, Green Sunfish and Largemouth Bass.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Over harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are typically moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters and lakeshore owners, and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and drain all lake water from their boat and bait buckets before leaving the lake. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local MNDNR office. Additional information on all these topics can be found on the MNDNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Hutchinson Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Silver Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Silver 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 Lake (trailer launch)
- Silver Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
- Silver Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Silver Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Swan Lake · 352 ac · 1.7 mi
- Hook Lake · 330 ac · 7.9 mi
- Todd Lake · 214 ac · 8.6 mi
- Wolf Lake · 262 ac · 9 mi
- Jennie Lake · 1,069 ac · 9.4 mi
- Winsted Lake · 382 ac · 9.5 mi
- Otter Lake · 642 ac · 9.6 mi
- Collinwood Lake · 639 ac · 10.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Silver Lake?
Silver Lake reaches 10.5 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 8.5 ft; about 98% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Silver Lake?
Silver Lake covers 453 acres with about 4.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Silver Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Silver Lake average 2.7 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Silver Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2023.
Does Silver Lake have a public access?
Yes. Silver Lake has 3 public access sites, including Silver Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Silver Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25".
When was Silver Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Silver Lake in 2024.
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