Minnesota · Mahnomen County
South Twin Lake Fishing guide
South Twin Lake is a 1,127-acre lake in Mahnomen County, Minnesota, reaching 29 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 9.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers4.3per gill net18"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 41 fish
2024Lengths measured · 51 fish
2019Lengths measured · 80 fish
2014Lengths measured · 108 fish
2007Largemouth bassFair numbers46.6per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 154 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 154 fish
2024Lengths measured · 190 fish
2019Lengths measured · 75 fish
2014Lengths measured · 53 fish
2007Northern pikeOne of the best around34.4per gill net17"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 324 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 324 fish
2024Lengths measured · 212 fish
2019Lengths measured · 196 fish
2014Lengths measured · 103 fish
2007BluegillJust a few17.2per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 270 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 270 fish
2024Lengths measured · 416 fish
2019Lengths measured · 974 fish
2014Lengths measured · 162 fish
2007CrappieJust a few0.5per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 10 fish
2024Lengths measured · 117 fish
2019Lengths measured · 33 fish
2014Lengths measured · 10 fish
2007Yellow perchFair numbers2.7per gill net5"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 24 fish
2024Lengths measured · 17 fish
2019Lengths measured · 22 fish
2014Lengths measured · 13 fish
2007Rock bassGood numbers1.3per gill net5"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 12 fish
2024Lengths measured · 11 fish
2019Lengths measured · 36 fish
2014Lengths measured · 8 fish
2007Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 South Twin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 34" | 25" | 18" |
| 2019 | 32" | 26" | 20" |
| 2014 | 31" | 23" | 17" |
| 2007 | 35" | 25" | 17" |
| 2002 | 33" | 28" | 16" |
| 1997 | 31" | 25" | 13" |
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 · 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 · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
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 | 5,284 fingerlings · 449 yearlings · 23 adults |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,848 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 22,486 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 3,674 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 4,198 fingerlings · 3,742 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 5,200 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 20,215 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 21,058 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 10,146 fingerlings · 1,180 yearlings · 322 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 1,705 fingerlings · 991 yearlings · 213 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
South Twin is a 1,126-acre lake located two miles south of Nay-Tah-Waush in southeastern Mahnomen County. It lies entirely within the boundaries of the White Earth Reservation. South Twin Lake receives a high amount of fishing pressure, with two popular resorts and a public access on the west side of the lake. Zebra mussels were discovered in the lake in 2019. A standard fisheries survey was completed in July 2024 to assess the fish populations in South Twin Lake. Additionally, a night electrofishing survey targeting Largemouth Bass was conducted in late May.
Anglers will find an abundant number of Northern Pike in South Twin Lake, however, most of these fish will be on the small side. The average size of the pike captured was 18 inches, but one 35-inch fish was measured. Walleye numbers are well below average for the lake, but size is good. About 87% of the Walleye captured in 2024 were over 15 inches and 24% were over 20 inches. The average length of Walleyes caught in the nets was 18 inches. Anglers can expect to find high numbers of small Bluegills, but fish over eight inches are present. About two percent of the Bluegills sampled in 2024 were over eight inches and Bluegills up to nine inches were sampled. Black Crappie were captured in low numbers in the nets, which is often the case with this sampling gear. Crappie had an average length of 10.1 inches and a maximum length of 11.1 inches. Electrofishing for Largemouth Bass yielded a catch rate of 81.9 bass per hour. This was similar to the lake average of 79.1 bas per hour. Average length was 12.2 inches, and the longest bass measured was 18.1 inches. Other fish species sampled were Black, Brown, and Yellow Bullhead, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Tullibee, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
South Twin Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on South Twin 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
- South Twin Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
South Twin Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- North Twin Lake · 966 ac · 1.6 mi
- Snider Lake · 634 ac · 2.5 mi
- Bass Lake · 735 ac · 2.6 mi
- Sargent Lake · 138 ac · 3 mi
- McCraney Lake · 270 ac · 5 mi
- Tulaby Lake · 832 ac · 5.8 mi
- Island Lake · 44 ac · 7.2 mi
- Roy Lake · 695 ac · 7.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is South Twin Lake?
South Twin Lake reaches 29 ft at its deepest point; about 47% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is South Twin Lake?
South Twin Lake covers 1,127 acres with about 5.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in South Twin Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on South Twin Lake average 9.4 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in South Twin Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is South Twin Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does South Twin Lake have a public access?
Yes. South Twin Lake has one public access site: South Twin Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in South Twin Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was South Twin Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed South Twin Lake in 2024, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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