Minnesota · Cass County
Three Island Lake Fishing guide
Three Island Lake covers 288 acres in Cass County, Minnesota, reaching 13 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 10.3 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 6 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassPresent0.1per trap net14"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 16 fish
2022Lengths measured · 22 fish
2006Lengths measured · 21 fish
2001Northern pikeOne of the best around20.2per gill net21"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 130 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 130 fish
2022Lengths measured · 128 fish
2006Lengths measured · 93 fish
2001BluegillJust a few14.1per trap net4"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 225 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 225 fish
2022Lengths measured · 531 fish
2006Lengths measured · 250 fish
2001CrappieJust a few1.4per trap net5"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 45 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 45 fish
2022Lengths measured · 34 fish
2006Lengths measured · 12 fish
2001Yellow perchGood numbers4.8per gill net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 37 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 37 fish
2022Lengths measured · 34 fish
2006Lengths measured · 47 fish
2001Rates 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
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 10.3 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. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 13-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 10.3 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. With 100% 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. A 13-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 | Largemouth bass | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 27" | 17" | 9" |
| 2006 | 29" | 17" | 9" |
| 2001 | 33" | 18" | 12" |
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 · 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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Live bait
Slip Bobber + Leech
jumbo or large leech
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Three Island is a 288-acre lake with 7 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 13 feet located east of Walker, MN. A US Forest Service owned public access is located on the north shore. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Three Island Lake is in Lake Class 37. Lake Class 37 lakes are small, shallow, eutrophic lakes. Other area lakes in this class include Cedar, Horseshoe, Jackpine, Little Woman and Twenty-Six. Most of shoreline on Three Island Lake is publicly owned and undeveloped. The lake is primarily managed for Black Crappie, Bluegill, Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass and secondarily for Yellow Perch. Low dissolved oxygen observations in Three Island Lake during some winters suggests the potential for winterkill to occur. No fish kill has been confirmed at ice out and surviving fish have responded with strong reproduction, indicating if a kill is occurring it is partial.
Three Island Lake is a multi-species lake that offers fishing in a wild scenic setting. Black Crappie were abundant with fish from 4 to 13 inches sampled. Management goals are still being developed for this species. Bluegill were caught in moderate numbers not meeting the management goal with fish from 3 to 8 inches sampled. Northern Pike were very abundant and were caught in numbers above the management goals set for this lake with fish from 9 to 27 inches sampled, however size goals for Northern Pike were met. Yellow Perch caught in low numbers not meeting the management goal. Yellow Perch were sampled from 5 to 9 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species that anglers can expect to encounter include, Hybrid Sunfish and Pumpkinseed.
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 Three Island Lake. 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.
Three Island is a 288-acre lake with 7 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 13 feet located east of Walker, MN. A US Forest Service owned public access is located on the north shore. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Three Island Lake is in Lake Class 37. Lake Class 37 lakes are small, shallow, eutrophic lakes. Other area lakes in this class include Cedar, Horseshoe, Jackpine, Little Woman and Twenty-Six. Most of shoreline on Three Island Lake is publicly owned and undeveloped. The lake is primarily managed for Black Crappie, Bluegill, Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass and secondarily for Yellow Perch. Low dissolved oxygen observations in Three Island Lake during some winters suggests the potential for winterkill to occur. No fish kill has been confirmed at ice out and surviving fish have responded with strong reproduction, indicating if a kill is occurring it is partial.
Three Island Lake is a multi-species lake that offers fishing in a wild scenic setting. Black Crappie were abundant with fish from 4 to 13 inches sampled. Management goals are still being developed for this species. Bluegill were caught in moderate numbers not meeting the management goal with fish from 3 to 8 inches sampled. Northern Pike were very abundant and were caught in numbers above the management goals set for this lake with fish from 9 to 27 inches sampled, however size goals for Northern Pike were met. Yellow Perch caught in low numbers not meeting the management goal. Yellow Perch were sampled from 5 to 9 inches.
Other fish species that anglers can expect to encounter include, Hybrid Sunfish and Pumpkinseed.
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 Three Island Lake. 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
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
- Silver Lake · 121 ac · 2.3 mi
- Hazel Lake · 15 ac · 2.8 mi
- Horseshoe Lake · 127 ac · 3 mi
- Boxell Lake · 66 ac · 3.1 mi
- Town Line Lake · 698 ac · 3.6 mi
- Lake · 759 ac · 4 mi
- Girl Lake · 428 ac · 4.3 mi
- Long Lake · 1,007 ac · 4.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Three Island Lake?
Three Island Lake reaches 13 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Three Island Lake?
Three Island Lake covers 288 acres with about 7.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Three Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Three Island Lake average 10.3 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Three Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Three Island Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Three Island Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
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 northern pike get in Three Island Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2001.
When was Three Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Three Island Lake in 2022, the most recent of 6 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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