Minnesota · Cottonwood County
String Lake Fishing guide
String Lake is a 336-acre lake in Cottonwood County, Minnesota, reaching 3.8 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 0.1 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 2 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, northern pike, crappie and yellow perch in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
CrappieJust a few5.4per trap net5"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 43 fish
Yellow perchPresent13.8per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 112 fish
Recent · 2016 + 2023Lengths measured · 2 fish
2023Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 110 fish
2016Rates 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 String Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 0.1 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 3.8-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 0.1 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 3.8-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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | 12" | 3" |
| 2016 | 30" | — | 10" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Yellow perch · 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.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Northern Pike | 416 fingerlings |
| 2025 | Walleye | 325,218 fry |
| 2024 | Northern Pike | 241 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 325,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 325,000 fry |
| 2022 | Northern Pike | 1,508 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 325,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 906,348 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 325,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
String Lake is a 402-acre, class 42 lake located four miles west of the City of Windom in Cottonwood County. String Lake is comprised of three basins divided by roads but are connected by culverts that allow fish passage. String Lake is a shallow basin (max depth of 6.0 ft.) that experiences frequent partial winterkills. While observed dissolved oxygen levels were not below 2.0 parts per million, dead fish were observed when the ice went off at String Lake. A winterkill check was done on May 15, 2023, using boat electrofishing to determine the extent of the winterkill.
Six species of fish were sampled during the 2023 winterkill check including Bigmouth Buffalo (80.5 per hour), Black Bullhead (13.8 per hour), Common Carp (7.9 per hour), Fathead Minnow (53.0 per hour), Walleye (2.0 per hour), and Yellow Perch (3.9 per hour). The presence of several species suggests that a partial winterkill occurred at String Lake, but not severe enough to alter the fish community. String Lake was stocked with 325,000 Walleye fry in the spring of 2023 to establish a top-level predator.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
String Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on String 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
- String Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
String Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Timber Lake · 191 ac · 2.5 mi
- Cottonwood Lake · 155 ac · 5.3 mi
- Flahtery Lake · 457 ac · 7.6 mi
- Fish Lake · 297 ac · 7.6 mi
- Bingham Lake · 270 ac · 8.7 mi
- Heron (South Heron) Lake · 2,641 ac · 9.4 mi
- Independence Lake · 99 ac · 9.8 mi
- Eagle Lake · 105 ac · 11.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is String Lake?
String Lake reaches 3.8 ft at its deepest point.
How big is String Lake?
String Lake covers 336 acres with about 7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in String Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on String Lake average 0.1 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in String Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, northern pike, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is String Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked northern pike and walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2019.
Does String Lake have a public access?
Yes. String Lake has one public access site: String Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in String Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 30"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2016.
When was String Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed String Lake in 2023, the most recent of 2 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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