Minnesota · Carver County
Steiger Lake Fishing guide
Steiger Lake is a 166-acre lake in Carver County, Minnesota, reaching 37 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 6.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassPresent1.7per gill net15"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 14 fish
2024Lengths measured · 68 fish
2019Lengths measured · 6 fish
2014Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2009Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers9.3per gill net22"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 58 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 58 fish
2024Lengths measured · 69 fish
2019Lengths measured · 59 fish
2014Lengths measured · 79 fish
2009BluegillFair numbers28.9per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 464 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 464 fish
2024Lengths measured · 467 fish
2019Lengths measured · 944 fish
2014Lengths measured · 320 fish
2009CrappieJust a few0.9per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 103 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 103 fish
2024Lengths measured · 144 fish
2019Lengths measured · 50 fish
2014Lengths measured · 44 fish
2009Rates 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 Steiger 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. With 62% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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 62% 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 32" | 20" | 8" |
| 2019 | 33" | 19" | 8" |
| 2014 | 35" | 19" | 7" |
| 2009 | 32" | 15" | 7" |
| 2003 | 31" | 19" | 7" |
| 1998 | 33" | 19" | 9" |
| 1993 | 35" | 19" | 7" |
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
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
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Steiger is a 166-acre (103 littoral acres) lake with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Steiger is located north of the City of Victoria, in northeastern Carver County. Steiger is primarily managed for Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass, but includes catchable populations of Bluegill and Black Crappie. A special catch-and-release Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass regulation was implemented in 1988 and remains in place. Public water access is provided by Three Rivers Park District on the southeast side of the lake off County Road 5 and Steiger Lake Lane (up to 12 vehicle/trailer parking spaces).
A Standard Survey (9 trap nets/6 gill nets) was conducted on Steiger Lake during the week of 08/05/2024 to monitor water quality and fish populations. Steiger is a productive lake with brown/green-stained water and poor clarity, measured at 3 feet during the time of this survey. Dissolved oxygen was zero parts per million (ppm) below 10 feet, meaning fish would be unable to use water depths greater than 10 feet during mid-summer. Eurasian Watermilfoil has been documented in Steiger Lake and remains present.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike in Steiger Lake were sampled with gill nets (9.3/net) above the expected catch rate of similar lakes. There were 56 Northern Pike sampled in gill nets, with an average size of 23.6 inches and the largest measured at 32.7 inches. Size indices show a balanced population (a middle ground between high numbers of small fish and low numbers of large fish). Growth rates were moderately fast compared to the statewide average. Northern Pike in Steiger Lake appear to benefit from the catch-and-release regulation with consistently high numbers and decent sizes, providing quality angling opportunity.
Largemouth Bass are present in Steiger Lake, although targeted boat-electrofishing did not occur during the 2024 survey. Incidental capture with trap and gill nets caught 14 Largemouth Bass, with an average length of 13.5 inches and the largest measured at 20.7 inches. Future surveys will include a targeted spring boat-electrofishing component.
Bluegill were sampled with trap nets (28.9/net) near the expected catch rate of similar lakes. There were 260 Bluegill sampled in trap nets during the 2024 survey, with an average length of 5.7 inches and the largest measured at 7.8 inches. Nearly 25% of Bluegill sampled in trap nets were greater than 7 inches. Although harvestable sized Bluegill (7"+) are present in Steiger lake, anglers should be prepared to sort through many small fish along the way.
Black Crappie were sampled with gill nets (16.0/net) and trap nets (0.9/net), within the expected catch rates of similar lakes. There were 144 Black Crappie sampled during the 2024 survey, with an average length of 6.6 inches and the largest measured at 9.2 inches. The current Black Crappie population consists of moderate numbers but small sizes and likely provides little interest to anglers.
Other fish species sampled in low abundances were Black Bullhead, Common Carp, Pumpkinseed, White Sucker, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Steiger Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Steiger 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
- Steiger Lake, Carver Co Park Reserve (trailer launch)
- Steiger Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Steiger Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Kelser's Pond · 20 ac · 1 mi
- Zumbra-Sunny Lake · 271 ac · 1.2 mi
- Auburn Lake · 291 ac · 1.3 mi
- Stone Lake · 101 ac · 1.8 mi
- Wassermann Lake · 170 ac · 1.8 mi
- Virginia Lake · 105 ac · 2 mi
- Bavaria Lake · 167 ac · 2.1 mi
- Minnewashta Lake · 680 ac · 2.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Steiger Lake?
Steiger Lake reaches 37 ft at its deepest point; about 62% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Steiger Lake?
Steiger Lake covers 166 acres with about 2.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Steiger Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Steiger Lake average 6.2 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Steiger Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Steiger Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Steiger Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Steiger Lake have a public access?
Yes. Steiger Lake has 2 public access sites, including Steiger Lake, Carver Co Park Reserve (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Steiger 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 1993.
When was Steiger Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Steiger Lake in 2024, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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