Minnesota · Itasca County
Thistledew Lake Fishing guide
Thistledew Lake sits in Itasca County, Minnesota, and covers 326 acres, reaching 45 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 16.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 16 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.7per gill net18"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 27 fish
2024Lengths measured · 17 fish
2020Lengths measured · 5 fish
2016Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 26 fish
2011Largemouth bassJust a few7.3per hr (electrofishing)6"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 47 fish
2024Lengths measured · 7 fish
2020Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 110 fish
2016Lengths measured · 24 fish
2011No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few3.1per gill net25"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 30 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 30 fish
2024Lengths measured · 18 fish
2020Lengths measured · 27 fish
2016Lengths measured · 21 fish
2011BluegillJust a few7.1per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 78 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 78 fish
2024Lengths measured · 16 fish
2020Lengths measured · 224 fish
2016Lengths measured · 94 fish
2011CrappieJust a few0.4per trap net10"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 11 fish
2024Lengths measured · 2 fish
2020Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 12 fish
2016Lengths measured · 8 fish
2011Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchJust a few1.1per gill net6"Typical6"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 20 fish
2024Lengths measured · 10 fish
2020Lengths measured · 20 fish
2016Lengths measured · 53 fish
2011Rock bassExcellent numbers1.7per trap net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 26 fish
2024Lengths measured · 11 fish
2020Lengths measured · 26 fish
2016Lengths measured · 41 fish
2011Rates 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 Thistledew Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 16.2 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 45 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 16.2 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 45 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 24" | 15" | 33" |
| 2020 | 24" | 14" | 31" |
| 2016 | 25" | 17" | 38" |
| 2011 | 25" | 13" | 34" |
| 2008 | 24" | 14" | 29" |
| 2006 | 27" | 14" | 31" |
| 2000 | 24" | 10" | 27" |
| 1993 | 26" | 15" | 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 · 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
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 | 73,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 173,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 100,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 73,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 73,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 73,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 73,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 80,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Thistledew Lake was conducted on July 7th-8th, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample eight stations, a 15-foot seine was used to sample one station, and site conditions (i.e., dense aquatic vegetation and soft substrate) prevented the use of a seine at one station. Nearshore sampling captured 13 species of fish including three species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance.
The nearshore data was combined with gill net and trap net data from an August 2024 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., 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.
Read the full DNR narrative
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Thistledew Lake is healthy as indicated by a FIBI score that exceeds the exceptional use threshold determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings, which indicated that Thistledew Lake is fully supporting aquatic life. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Little Fork River Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Thistledew Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Thistledew Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Thistledew 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
- Thistledew Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Thistledew Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Mirror Lake · 109 ac · 1.8 mi
- Five Island Lake · 214 ac · 4.2 mi
- Button Box Lake · 81 ac · 4.9 mi
- Battle Lake · 243 ac · 5.2 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 241 ac · 5.9 mi
- Wilson Lake · 92 ac · 6 mi
- Poplar Lake · 112 ac · 6.3 mi
- Erskine Lake · 40 ac · 6.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Thistledew Lake?
Thistledew Lake reaches 45 ft at its deepest point; about 22% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Thistledew Lake?
Thistledew Lake covers 326 acres with about 4.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Thistledew Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Thistledew Lake average 16.2 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Thistledew Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Thistledew Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Thistledew Lake have a public access?
Yes. Thistledew Lake has one public access site: Thistledew Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Thistledew Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Thistledew Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Thistledew Lake in 2025, the most recent of 16 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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