Minnesota · Cass County
Thirteen Lake Fishing guide
Thirteen Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 555 acres, reaching 50 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11.8 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers4.5per gill net15"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 31 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 31 fish
2025Lengths measured · 2 fish
2015Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 34 fish
2014Lengths measured · 134 fish
2004Largemouth bassGood numbers66.3per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 154 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 35 fish
2025Lengths measured · 119 fish
2021Lengths measured · 176 fish
2018Lengths measured · 6 fish
2015Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeElite fishery20.7per gill net19"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 127 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 127 fish
2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2015Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 32 fish
2014Lengths measured · 20 fish
2004BluegillJust a few14.4per trap net4"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 138 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 138 fish
2025Lengths measured · 621 fish
2015Lengths measured · 549 fish
2014Lengths measured · 520 fish
2004No recent survey rating.
Rates 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 Thirteen Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 11.8 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 50 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 11.8 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 50 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.
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 | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37" | 26" | 16" |
| 2021 | — | — | 16" |
| 2018 | — | — | 17" |
| 2015 | 17" | 25" | 13" |
| 2014 | 32" | 25" | 17" |
| 2004 | 28" | 26" | 18" |
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
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 168,990 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 169,650 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 164,700 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 167,040 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 165,625 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 164,560 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 166,780 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 164,700 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 501,015 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Lake Thirteen (DOW# 11-0488; Lake Class 27) is a 555-acre lake with 329 littoral acres, 3.9 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 50 feet located south of Cass Lake, MN. A US Forest Service owned public access is located on the southwest shoreline. A primitive campground is located along the southeast shoreline. Lake Thirteen is within both the boundaries of the Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. The lake is co-managed Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) and the Leech Lake Band Ojibwe's Division of Resource Management (LLBO DRM). The lake is primarily managed for Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, and Walleye and secondarily for Yellow Perch. MNDNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Lake Thirteen is in lake class 27; it is large, deep, and regularly shaped. In 2014 a special regulation for Largemouth Bass was implemented (all 14-20 inches must be immediately released, 1 over 20 inches allowed in possession), followed by a special regulation for Sunfish (daily possession limit 5 fish) in 2017.
Lake Thirteen is a great multi-species lake with potential to produce trophy size fish. Largemouth Bass were caught in moderate numbers with fish from 5 to 16 inches present. Management goals are based on electrofishing which was not conducted in 2025. Northern Pike abundance was above the maximum management goal and lengths ranged from 16 to 37 inches. Northern Pike size goals were not met in the 2025 survey. Bluegill catch rates were moderate and did not meet the management goal. Length based goals for Bluegills were partially met with fish ranging in length from 3 to 10 inches. Walleye abundance was below the management goal and ranged in length from 7 to 25 inches. Yellow Perch were sampled in low numbers, not meeting the management goal.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species sampled include, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, White Sucker and Yellow Bullhead.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Currently no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Lake Thirteen. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Thirteen Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Thirteen 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
- Thirteen Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Thirteen Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Portage Lake · 361 ac · 2.3 mi
- Welch Lake · 196 ac · 2.4 mi
- Crooked Lake · 582 ac · 3.6 mi
- Pike Bay Lake · 4,756 ac · 4.9 mi
- Steamboat Lake · 1,756 ac · 5.5 mi
- Lower Sucker Lake · 592 ac · 6.5 mi
- Middle Sucker Lake · 286 ac · 7.2 mi
- Upper Sucker Lake · 113 ac · 7.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Thirteen Lake?
Thirteen Lake reaches 50 ft at its deepest point; about 59% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Thirteen Lake?
Thirteen Lake covers 555 acres with about 3.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Thirteen Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Thirteen Lake average 11.8 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Thirteen Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Thirteen Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Thirteen Lake have a public access?
Yes. Thirteen Lake has one public access site: Thirteen Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Thirteen Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 37"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2004.
When was Thirteen Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Thirteen Lake in 2025, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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