Minnesota · Aitkin County
Spirit Lake Fishing guide
Spirit Lake is a 523-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota, reaching 49 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 12.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 24 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.2per gill net20"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2025Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 13 fish
2023Lengths measured · 8 fish
2019Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2017Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Largemouth bassJust a few2.7per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 45 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 8 fish
2025Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 37 fish
2023Lengths measured · 27 fish
2019Lengths measured · 10 fish
2017Northern pikeGood numbers10per gill net16"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 110 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 7 fish
2025Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 103 fish
2023Lengths measured · 105 fish
2019Lengths measured · 92 fish
2017BluegillJust a few11per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 326 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 131 fish
2025Lengths measured · 195 fish
2023Lengths measured · 130 fish
2019Lengths measured · 43 fish
2017CrappieJust a few0.6per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 5 fish
2025Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 29 fish
2023Lengths measured · 26 fish
2019Lengths measured · 21 fish
2017Yellow perchFair numbers1.4per gill net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 13 fish
2023Lengths measured · 7 fish
2019Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2017Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 14 fish
2015Rock bassExcellent numbers15.3per hr (electrofishing)9"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 51 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 12 fish
2025Lengths measured · 39 fish
2023Lengths measured · 20 fish
2019Lengths measured · 13 fish
2017Rates 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 Spirit Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 12.8 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 49 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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. At 12.8 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 49 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18" | 25" | 18" |
| 2023 | 35" | 25" | 19" |
| 2019 | 33" | 22" | 20" |
| 2017 | 34" | 28" | 18" |
| 2015 | 34" | 24" | 19" |
| 2013 | — | 7" | — |
| 2010 | 32" | 25" | 18" |
| 2006 | 34" | 24" | 15" |
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 · 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
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 | 5,875 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,551 fingerlings · 1,872 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 4,275 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 260,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 260,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 260,000 fry · 7,947 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 260,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Spirit Lake was conducted beginning on June 30, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 14 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 12 stations. Two stations were not seined due to dense vegetation and soft substrate. Nearshore sampling captured 25 species of fish including 10 species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Logperch, Mimic Shiner, Mottled Sculpin, Pugnose Shiner, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass) and none that are tolerant of disturbance.
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by LBMA Program staff. Twelve trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured 11 species of fish, including one that is intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Rock Bass) and one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead). Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number and biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a survey conducted during the week of July 17, 2023 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (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 healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead, Green Sunfish, and Common Carp). 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.
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Spirit Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score that exceeds the exceptional aquatic life use threshold determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings, which indicated that Spirit Lake is fully supporting aquatic life use. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Mississippi River-Brainerd assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Spirit Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Spirit Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Spirit 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
- Spirit Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Spirit Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Hickory Lake · 212 ac · 1.3 mi
- Diamond Lake · 82 ac · 1.7 mi
- Little Pine Lake · 226 ac · 2 mi
- Hanging Kettle Lake · 318 ac · 2 mi
- Lone Lake · 434 ac · 2.2 mi
- Ripple Lake · 631 ac · 2.2 mi
- Hammal Lake · 376 ac · 3.3 mi
- Farm Island Lake · 2,005 ac · 3.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Spirit Lake?
Spirit Lake reaches 49 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 15 ft; about 50% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Spirit Lake?
Spirit Lake covers 523 acres with about 5.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Spirit Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Spirit Lake average 12.8 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Spirit Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Spirit Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Spirit Lake have a public access?
Yes. Spirit Lake has one public access site: Spirit Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Spirit Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 35"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2006.
When was Spirit Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Spirit Lake in 2025, the most recent of 24 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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