Minnesota · Mahnomen County
Snider Lake Fishing guide
Snider Lake sits in Mahnomen County, Minnesota, and covers 634 acres, reaching 29 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 8.7 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.3per gill net15"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 40 fish
2023Lengths measured · 24 fish
2016Lengths measured · 51 fish
2009Lengths measured · 61 fish
2002Largemouth bassJust a few9.9per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 32 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 32 fish
2023Lengths measured · 26 fish
2016Lengths measured · 42 fish
2009Lengths measured · 40 fish
2002Northern pikeOne of the best around26.4per gill net20"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 327 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 327 fish
2023Lengths measured · 222 fish
2016Lengths measured · 148 fish
2009Lengths measured · 90 fish
2002BluegillGood numbers55.9per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 820 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 820 fish
2023Lengths measured · 462 fish
2016Lengths measured · 537 fish
2009Lengths measured · 289 fish
2002CrappieJust a few1.7per trap net9"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 32 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 32 fish
2023Lengths measured · 8 fish
2016Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 24 fish
2009Lengths measured · 24 fish
2002Yellow perchFair numbers4.3per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 62 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 62 fish
2023Lengths measured · 11 fish
2016Lengths measured · 31 fish
2009Lengths measured · 33 fish
2002Rates 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 Snider Lake 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.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 32" | 30" | 17" |
| 2016 | 32" | 22" | 16" |
| 2009 | 29" | 28" | 20" |
| 2002 | 27" | 27" | 20" |
| 1997 | 28" | 27" | 19" |
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 · 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
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 78,750 fry · 1,600 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 268,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 268,000 fry · 1,474 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 268,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 268,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Snider Lake was conducted on August 7th and 8th, 2023, by Detroit Lakes Fisheries Staff. The survey consisted of 14 sampling stations evenly spaced around the lake. All stations were sampled with a backpack electrofishing unit, and 11 were sampled with a 50-foot seine. Three stations were not sampled with a seine because of dense vegetation (wild rice), or the conditions were too boggy to safely and effectively use a seine. Nearshore sampling captured 15 native fish species, which included five species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish, Iowa Darter, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, and Pugnose Shiner) and one species that is tolerant of disturbance (Green Sunfish). The three most common species captured during the nearshore survey in order of abundance were: Bluegill, Green Sunfish, and Yellow Perch.
The nearshore fish survey data was combined with the standard survey data from July 24th, 2023, to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (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., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish). 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 website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to a watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. Snider Lake is located in the Wild Rice River Watershed.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Snider Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Snider 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
- Snider Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Snider Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- McCraney Lake · 270 ac · 2.5 mi
- South Twin Lake · 1,127 ac · 2.5 mi
- North Twin Lake · 966 ac · 4.1 mi
- Bass Lake · 735 ac · 4.3 mi
- Tulaby Lake · 832 ac · 4.5 mi
- Sargent Lake · 138 ac · 4.7 mi
- White Earth Lake · 1,989 ac · 6.2 mi
- Elbow Lake · 995 ac · 7.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Snider Lake?
Snider Lake reaches 29 ft at its deepest point; about 42% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Snider Lake?
Snider Lake covers 634 acres with about 5.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Snider Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Snider Lake average 8.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Snider Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Snider Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Snider Lake have a public access?
Yes. Snider Lake has one public access site: Snider Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Snider Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 32"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Snider Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Snider Lake in 2023, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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