Minnesota · Beltrami County
Three Island Lake Fishing guide
Three Island Lake sits in Beltrami County, Minnesota, and covers 730 acres, reaching 25 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 6.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.3per gill net18"Typical21"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 29 fish
2021Lengths measured · 29 fish
2016Lengths measured · 34 fish
2011Lengths measured · 23 fish
2007Largemouth bassFair numbers21.7per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 11 fish
2021Lengths measured · 24 fish
2016Lengths measured · 11 fish
2011Lengths measured · 8 fish
2007Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers9.5per gill net19"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 96 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 96 fish
2021Lengths measured · 61 fish
2016Lengths measured · 75 fish
2011Lengths measured · 65 fish
2007BluegillJust a few6.2per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 102 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 102 fish
2021Lengths measured · 118 fish
2016Lengths measured · 92 fish
2011Lengths measured · 92 fish
2007CrappieJust a few0.1per trap net5"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 16 fish
2021Lengths measured · 12 fish
2016Lengths measured · 4 fish
2011Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2007Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchGood numbers7.8per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 73 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 73 fish
2021Lengths measured · 179 fish
2016Lengths measured · 286 fish
2011Lengths measured · 102 fish
2007Rock bassGood numbers1.3per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 26 fish
2021Lengths measured · 8 fish
2016Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 38 fish
2011Lengths measured · 9 fish
2007Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 Three Island 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 87% 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.
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 87% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21" | 15" | 32" |
| 2016 | 25" | 19" | 33" |
| 2011 | 25" | 18" | 34" |
| 2007 | 27" | 13" | 32" |
| 2004 | 25" | 17" | 35" |
| 1996 | 26" | 18" | 32" |
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 · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
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 | 313,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 317,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 319,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 316,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Three Island Lake is a 729-acre lake located 14 miles northeast of Bemidji in Beltrami County. Three Island is a large, shallow lake basin with lots of aquatic vegetation. The maximum depth is 25 feet; however, much of the lake is less than 9 feet deep. Ice travel is limited during winter months by areas of current that can cause unsafe ice conditions. The is a DNR public water access with an earthen ramp and parking for 6 trucks/trailers located in Three Island County Park off of County Road 23. Special regulations are in effect for sunfish (daily limit of 5 fish). The Northern Pike special regulation in effect since 2003 was under review in 2022 so be sure to check on the current regulation before keeping any pike. Statewide regulations apply to all other species.
Three Island Lake may be overlooked by some anglers but does provide some notable fishing opportunities for the Bemidji Area. Three Island has excellent habitat for Bluegill, Black Crappie, Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass. Extensive weed lines and emergent vegetation like cattail, bulrush and lily pads provide plenty of fishing opportunities for these species. Anglers can expect to catch good numbers of Bluegill in the 8-inch size range with bigger fish in the mix as well. Black Crappie catch rates from surveys of Three Island Lake have always been low; however, the lake has been a consistent producer of Black Crappie over time. Although Largemouth Bass were not targeted in the 2021 survey, a quality population is known to exist in Three Island Lake. Fishing opportunities for topwater bass anglers abound. Walleye are present in Three Island Lake although not in the numbers found in many of the area's more consistent Walleye lakes. Walleye captured in the 2021 survey had a good average size of nearly 18 inches and nearly 2 lbs/fish. Northern Pike were abundant in the 2021 survey with fish up to nearly 33 inches in length captured. Pike can provide plenty of fishing action on days when other species refuse to cooperate.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other species of fish captured in this survey were Rock Bass, Pumpkinseed, Bowfin, hybrid sunfish, bullhead species, Tullibee (Cisco), Shorthead Redhorse, White Sucker and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Three Island Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Three Island 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
- Three Island Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Three Island Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Black Lake · 271 ac · 1.2 mi
- Beltrami Lake · 726 ac · 1.8 mi
- Turtle Lake · 1,607 ac · 3 mi
- Movil Lake · 855 ac · 3.4 mi
- Little Turtle Lake · 469 ac · 4.2 mi
- Turtle River Lake · 1,740 ac · 5 mi
- Gull Lake · 2,256 ac · 5 mi
- Julia Lake · 511 ac · 5.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Three Island Lake?
Three Island Lake reaches 25 ft at its deepest point; about 87% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Three Island Lake?
Three Island Lake covers 730 acres with about 10.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Three Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Three Island Lake average 6.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Three Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Three Island Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2019.
Does Three Island Lake have a public access?
Yes. Three Island Lake has one public access site: Three Island Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Three Island Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 21"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Three Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Three Island Lake in 2021, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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