Minnesota · Douglas County
Stowe Lake Fishing guide
Stowe Lake is a 377-acre lake in Douglas County, Minnesota, reaching 14 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 5.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5.4per gill net14"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 54 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 54 fish
2025Lengths measured · 82 fish
2019Lengths measured · 76 fish
2013Lengths measured · 56 fish
2009Largemouth bassGood numbers52.4per hr (electrofishing)15"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 50 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 50 fish
2025Lengths measured · 53 fish
2019Lengths measured · 25 fish
2013Lengths measured · 23 fish
2009Northern pikeFair numbers9per gill net22"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 92 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 92 fish
2025Lengths measured · 59 fish
2019Lengths measured · 135 fish
2013Lengths measured · 59 fish
2009BluegillJust a few18.6per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 170 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 170 fish
2025Lengths measured · 91 fish
2019Lengths measured · 98 fish
2013Lengths measured · 86 fish
2009CrappieJust a few6.6per trap net11"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 81 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 81 fish
2025Lengths measured · 83 fish
2019Lengths measured · 50 fish
2013Lengths measured · 42 fish
2009Yellow perchFair numbers2.2per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 20 fish
2025Lengths measured · 17 fish
2019Lengths measured · 164 fish
2013Lengths measured · 43 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 Stowe 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. A 14-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 100% 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. A 14-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26" | 18" | 36" |
| 2019 | 22" | 19" | 35" |
| 2013 | 29" | 18" | 36" |
| 2009 | 29" | 17" | 34" |
| 2007 | 26" | 19" | 32" |
| 2003 | 22" | 18" | 30" |
| 1998 | 28" | 18" | 22" |
| 1993 | 22" | 18" | 29" |
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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
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 | 11,940 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,202 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 11,670 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 13,365 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 3,525 fingerlings · 1,066 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 510 fingerlings · 1,452 yearlings · 553 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 432 yearlings · 415 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Stowe Lake is a 377-acre shallow, productive basin located two miles northwest of Brandon in Douglas County. Mean and maximum depths are 10 and 14 feet, respectively. This basin receives inflows from Hoplin and Wolf Creeks and outflows to the west branch of the Chippewa River. Water quality and clarity can be seasonally poor in response to algae blooms stimulated by excessive nutrient levels that come from a large, predominantly agricultural watershed. Residential development surrounding the lake is moderate. A public access with limited parking is located on the west shoreline.
A standard MN DNR lake survey was completed in summer 2025 to assess the fish community of Stowe Lake. Survey results indicated that habitat conditions and the corresponding fish community have changed substantially over the past few decades. In the late 1990s, this basin was turbid and submerged aquatic plants were sparse. The fish community was dominated by Black Bullheads and other underutilized species. Habitat conditions have improved (i.e., more abundant submerged aquatic plants), which has led to expansion and increased diversity of gamefish populations and a drastic reduction in Black Bullhead abundance.
Read the full DNR narrative
Net catches in 2025 indicated that Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Walleye populations were all doing well. Growth rates of most fishes in Stowe Lake are rapid due to the high fertility of this basin. Consequently, gamefish populations are often skewed towards larger fish. The one exception in 2025 was the Walleye population. Most Walleyes sampled were young fish from the 2022 and 2023 year classes. Mean size (13.7 inches and 1.0 pounds) was on the smaller side, but Walleye size structure will improve as these young fish grow into sizes desired by anglers. Yellow Perch are also present, but numbers of harvestable fish are relatively low.
Other fish species sampled during the 2025 survey include Black, Brown, and Yellow Bullhead, Common Carp, Freshwater Drum, hybrid sunfish, and White Sucker. The next standard MN DNR lake survey is tentatively scheduled for 2031.
Stowe Lake is designated as an infested waterbody due to the presence of zebra mussels. Adult zebra mussels were first confirmed in 2017. See https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/index.html for more information regarding aquatic invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Stowe Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Stowe 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
- Stowe Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Stowe Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Chippewa Lake · 271 ac · 1.8 mi
- Devils Lake · 234 ac · 2.7 mi
- Whiskey Lake · 160 ac · 3 mi
- Moon Lake · 139 ac · 3.4 mi
- Long Lake · 202 ac · 3.6 mi
- Chippewa Lake · 1,186 ac · 4.6 mi
- Lake Moses · 824 ac · 4.9 mi
- Lake Aaron · 610 ac · 6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Stowe Lake?
Stowe Lake reaches 14 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10 ft; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Stowe Lake?
Stowe Lake covers 377 acres with about 4.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Stowe Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Stowe Lake average 5.8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Stowe Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Stowe Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Stowe Lake have a public access?
Yes. Stowe Lake has one public access site: Stowe Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Stowe Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Stowe Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Stowe Lake in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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