Minnesota · Becker County
Strawberry Lake Fishing guide
Strawberry Lake covers 1,498 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 40 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 18.2 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Excellent numbers12.1per gill net17"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 112 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 112 fish
2022Lengths measured · 107 fish
2017Lengths measured · 109 fish
2012Lengths measured · 220 fish
2006Largemouth bassJust a few8.4per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 43 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 43 fish
2022Lengths measured · 57 fish
2017Lengths measured · 23 fish
2012Lengths measured · 76 fish
2006Smallmouth bassPresent4.3per gill net14"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 42 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 42 fish
2022Lengths measured · 32 fish
2017Lengths measured · 20 fish
2012Lengths measured · 48 fish
2006Northern pikeFair numbers8.6per gill net17"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 86 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 86 fish
2022Lengths measured · 158 fish
2017Lengths measured · 195 fish
2012Lengths measured · 180 fish
2006BluegillJust a few8per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 228 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 228 fish
2022Lengths measured · 227 fish
2017Lengths measured · 616 fish
2012Lengths measured · 537 fish
2006CrappieJust a few0.1per trap net9"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 54 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 54 fish
2022Lengths measured · 33 fish
2017Lengths measured · 24 fish
2012Lengths measured · 23 fish
2006Yellow perchFair numbers3per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 28 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 28 fish
2022Lengths measured · 5 fish
2017Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 27 fish
2012Lengths measured · 24 fish
2006Rock bassOne of the best around3.5per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 88 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 88 fish
2022Lengths measured · 36 fish
2017Lengths measured · 139 fish
2012Lengths measured · 295 fish
2006Rates 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 Strawberry Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 18.2 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 40 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 18.2 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 40 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.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 28" | 34" | 16" |
| 2017 | 27" | 28" | 18" |
| 2012 | 25" | 26" | 16" |
| 2006 | 28" | 32" | 16" |
| 2001 | 25" | 31" | 14" |
| 1996 | 28" | 31" | 16" |
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 · 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
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 130 fingerlings · 5,030 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 16,197 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 10,309 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 14,075 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 7,307 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Strawberry Lake, which lies within the boundaries of the White Earth Reservation, was conducted on July 24-27, 2023, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) 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 all 18 sampling stations, but one station was sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 17 stations and site conditions prevented the use of a seine at one station. Nearshore sampling captured 21 species of fish including seven species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass) and one species that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish).
The nearshore data was combined with gill net and trap net data from a July 2022 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 a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish). 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.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Strawberry Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Strawberry 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
- Strawberry Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Strawberry Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Winter Lake · 117 ac · 4 mi
- Big Sugar Bush Lake · 522 ac · 4.4 mi
- Net Lake · 231 ac · 4.5 mi
- White Earth Lake · 1,989 ac · 4.9 mi
- Little Sugar Bush Lake · 221 ac · 5.9 mi
- Waboose Lake · 232 ac · 6.1 mi
- Little Bemidji Lake · 293 ac · 6.3 mi
- McCraney Lake · 270 ac · 6.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Strawberry Lake?
Strawberry Lake reaches 40 ft at its deepest point; about 38% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Strawberry Lake?
Strawberry Lake covers 1,498 acres with about 7.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Strawberry Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Strawberry Lake average 18.2 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Strawberry Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Strawberry Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Strawberry Lake have a public access?
Yes. Strawberry Lake has one public access site: Strawberry Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Strawberry Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 28"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Strawberry Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Strawberry Lake in 2023, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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