Minnesota · Lake County
Stewart Lake Fishing guide
Stewart Lake sits in Lake County, Minnesota, and covers 238 acres, reaching 20 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, northern pike, bluegill and crappie in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyePresent8.9per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 10 fish
2022Lengths measured · 25 fish
2020Lengths measured · 15 fish
2014Lengths measured · 4 fish
2014Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers6.5per gill net22"Typical40"Biggest
Lengths measured · 44 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 44 fish
2020Lengths measured · 62 fish
2014Lengths measured · 68 fish
2008Lengths measured · 60 fish
2002BluegillJust a few8.1per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 89 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 89 fish
2020Lengths measured · 123 fish
2014Lengths measured · 214 fish
2008Lengths measured · 43 fish
2002Yellow perchOne of the best around41.3per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 340 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 340 fish
2020Lengths measured · 226 fish
2014Lengths measured · 193 fish
2008Lengths measured · 183 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 Stewart Lake through the year
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. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Crappie
- Spring
- Crappie are up in the back bays and against wood in a few feet of water, spawning shallower than most people fish for them.
- Early summer
- Crappie are pulling off the bays to the first deep weed edge and brush, still reachable shallow at dusk.
- Summer
- Crappie are over the basin of a stratified lake, well off any structure, which is why summer netting barely catches them inshore. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Crappie are schooled along the deep weedline and the basin edge, pushing shallow to feed at dusk while the water still turns over slowly.
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 | Crappie | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 15" | 11" | — |
| 2020 | 24" | 11" | 40" |
| 2014 | 27" | 10" | 37" |
| 2013 | 6" | — | — |
| 2012 | 9" | — | — |
| 2011 | 9" | — | — |
| 2010 | 7" | — | — |
| 2008 | 26" | 11" | 43" |
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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Crappie · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Crappie · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
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 2022 survey
A night electrofishing survey was completed on Stewart Lake on June 16th 2022 to determine if Largemouth Bass are present. No Largemouth Bass were sampled despite targeting a time and location when we would expect to catch bass.
Other fish sampled during the survey included a small number of Walleye ranging in length from seven to 16 inches along with a single Black Crappie measuring 11 inches. Bluegill and Yellow Perch were also observed, but none were sampled since they were not the target of this survey.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Stewart Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Stewart 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
- Stewart Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Stewart Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Highland Lake · 111 ac · 1.7 mi
- Donna Lake · 18 ac · 2.4 mi
- Thomas Lake · 142 ac · 4.2 mi
- Little Stone Lake · 169 ac · 4.6 mi
- Christianson Lake · 150 ac · 6 mi
- White Lake · 123 ac · 6.3 mi
- Pequaywan Lake · 425 ac · 6.4 mi
- Indian Lake · 57 ac · 7.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Stewart Lake?
Stewart Lake reaches 20 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 6.4 ft; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Stewart Lake?
Stewart Lake covers 238 acres with about 4.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Stewart Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Stewart Lake average 7.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Stewart Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Stewart Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Stewart Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Stewart Lake have a public access?
Yes. Stewart Lake has one public access site: Stewart Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Stewart Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 15"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2008.
When was Stewart Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Stewart Lake in 2022, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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