Minnesota · Itasca County
Siseebakwet Lake Fishing guide
Siseebakwet Lake sits in Itasca County, Minnesota, and covers 1,210 acres, reaching 105 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 13.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025One of the best around29.8per gill net13"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 182 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 182 fish
2024Lengths measured · 367 fish
2017Lengths measured · 182 fish
2012Lengths measured · 264 fish
2006BluegillJust a few14.8per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 177 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 177 fish
2024Lengths measured · 61 fish
2017Lengths measured · 102 fish
2012Lengths measured · 53 fish
2006CrappieJust a few3.1per trap net9"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 37 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 37 fish
2024Lengths measured · 22 fish
2017Lengths measured · 35 fish
2012Lengths measured · 1 fish
1994Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchFair numbers2.2per gill net7"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 23 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 23 fish
2024Lengths measured · 203 fish
2017Lengths measured · 128 fish
2012Lengths measured · 279 fish
2006Rock bassElite fishery3.3per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 79 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 79 fish
2024Lengths measured · 175 fish
2017Lengths measured · 156 fish
2012Lengths measured · 225 fish
2006Rates 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 Siseebakwet Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 13.3 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 105 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 13.3 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 105 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 23" | 7" | 37" |
| 2017 | 26" | 12" | 27" |
| 2012 | 26" | 17" | 24" |
| 2006 | 30" | 16" | 27" |
| 2000 | 29" | 16" | 31" |
| 1994 | 28" | 15" | 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:
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 | 11,388 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 11,826 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 7,956 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 9,460 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 14,016 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Siseebakwet Lake is in ecological lake class 22 and is located 7 miles southwest of Grand Rapids, MN, in the Mississippi River Watershed. The lake is 1,306 acres and has a maximum depth of 105 feet. A survey targeting nearshore fish species was conducted by Area fisheries staff beginning on 11 July, 2024. Eighteen sampling sites (100 feet long) were evenly spaced around the lake shore, sampling a variety of habitat types. Each site is sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-ft or 50-ft 1/8th inch mesh seine, depending on habitat condition.
Shoreline seining was conducted at one site using the 15-ft seine and 17 sites with the 50-ft seine. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 18 sites. Nearshore sampling captured 17 different species: 12 species by seining and 14 species by backpack electrofishing. The species can be found in the gear-specific catch tables in this report.
Read the full DNR narrative
Nearshore catches will be used with the gill net and trap net data from the standard survey conducted on 26 August, 2024, to calculate a fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) score which is indicative of lake health. The surveys will assist the watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Siseebakwet Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Siseebakwet 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
- Siseebakwet Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Siseebakwet Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- South Sugar Lake · 83 ac · 0.9 mi
- Rice Lake · 863 ac · 3.9 mi
- Leighton Lake · 245 ac · 4.6 mi
- No-ta-she-bun Lake · 239 ac · 4.7 mi
- Long Lake · 135 ac · 4.9 mi
- Pokegama Lake · 6,721 ac · 5.3 mi
- Tioga Mine Pit · 49 ac · 5.4 mi
- Loon Lake · 231 ac · 5.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Siseebakwet Lake?
Siseebakwet Lake reaches 105 ft at its deepest point; about 24% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Siseebakwet Lake?
Siseebakwet Lake covers 1,210 acres with about 5.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Siseebakwet Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Siseebakwet Lake average 13.3 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Siseebakwet Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Siseebakwet Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Siseebakwet Lake have a public access?
Yes. Siseebakwet Lake has one public access site: Siseebakwet Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Siseebakwet Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 23"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Siseebakwet Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Siseebakwet Lake in 2024, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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