Minnesota · Becker County
Toad Lake Fishing guide
Toad Lake covers 1,715 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 29 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 4.6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers10.3per gill net15"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 133 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 133 fish
2021Lengths measured · 110 fish
2016Lengths measured · 199 fish
2011Lengths measured · 151 fish
2006Largemouth bassPresent0.7per gill net6"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 21 fish
2021Lengths measured · 68 fish
2016Lengths measured · 64 fish
2011Lengths measured · 116 fish
2006Northern pikeFair numbers6.6per gill net21"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 87 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 87 fish
2021Lengths measured · 126 fish
2016Lengths measured · 119 fish
2011Lengths measured · 118 fish
2006BluegillJust a few15.4per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 207 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 207 fish
2021Lengths measured · 437 fish
2016Lengths measured · 237 fish
2011Lengths measured · 769 fish
2006CrappieJust a few1per trap net10"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 44 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 44 fish
2021Lengths measured · 62 fish
2016Lengths measured · 30 fish
2011Lengths measured · 69 fish
2006Yellow perchFair numbers1.3per gill net6"Typical6"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 15 fish
2021Lengths measured · 35 fish
2016Lengths measured · 11 fish
2011Lengths measured · 45 fish
2006Rock bassGood numbers1.3per gill net9"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 19 fish
2021Lengths measured · 60 fish
2016Lengths measured · 70 fish
2011Lengths measured · 72 fish
2006Rates 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 Toad 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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 27" | 34" | 17" |
| 2016 | 27" | 31" | 17" |
| 2011 | 28" | 33" | 20" |
| 2006 | 28" | 31" | 15" |
| 2001 | 26" | 33" | 14" |
| 1996 | 26" | 30" | 15" |
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
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Trolling
Muskie Trolling (big cranks)
8–10" large diving crankbait rated for the target depth
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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 | 3,358 fingerlings · 426 yearlings · 2,741 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 15,396 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 5,730 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 11,188 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 6,102 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Toad (also referred to as Big Toad) Lake is a 1,715-acre lake located in central Becker County, 21 miles east of the city of Detroit Lakes. The shoreline of the lake is moderately developed, primarily along its northern and southwestern shores. The Toad Lake Aquatic Management Area (AMA) protects 115.1 acres of land adjacent to the lake. Toad Lake's robust fishery provides angling opportunities for Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, among other species. A standard fisheries survey was completed on Toad Lake in August 2021.
Walleye catch rates have remained stable in Toad Lake since initial surveying in 1959, averaging about 14 Walleye per net. During the 2021 survey about 10 Walleye were caught per net on average. Sampled Walleye ranged in length from 11.5 to 27.5 inches, averaging 17 inches long. Aging of fish found that a four year old Walleye in Toad Lake measured 17.2 inches, revealing fast growth relative to statewide indices.
Read the full DNR narrative
The abundance of Northern Pike in gill nets declined slightly from the 2016 survey (10.2 per net) to almost seven pike per net in 2021. Sampled Northern Pike ranged in length from 15.2 to 33.3 inches, averaging 21.5 inches long. Pike between 20 and 24 inches in length were most abundant, accounting for 69.6% of total pike catch.
The 2021 average catch rate of Bluegill was about 15 fish per trap net, equivalent to the lake's historical average. Sampled Bluegill ranged in length from 3.3 to 8.7 inches, averaging 5.7 inches long. Bluegill exhibit relatively slow growth in Toad Lake, reaching an average length of 4.1 inches by age four.
Black Crappie catch rates have remained low in Toad Lake since initial surveying in 1959, however this species is notoriously hard to sample. The 2021 mean catch rate was one crappie per trap net. Sampled Black Crappie ranged in length from 9.7 to 12.3 inches, averaging 11.1 inches long. About one Largemouth Bass was caught per trap net. Largemouth Bass ranged in length from 5.4 to 16.5 inches, averaging 7.0 inches long.
Yellow Perch catch rates remain low in Toad Lake. On average, about one perch was caught per net in 2021. Yellow Perch ranged in length from 5 to 11.2 inches, averaging 7.4 inches long. Additional species sampled in the 2021 survey included Black Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead, Bowfin, Common Carp, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Hybrid sunfish, and White Sucker. Yellow Bullhead dominated bullhead catch (3.3 bullhead per trap net) in the 2021 survey.
Shoreline owners can help to maintain or improve water quality and fish habitat in Toad Lake by maintaining shoreline buffer zones and leaving stands of native aquatic vegetation intact. Anglers and recreationalists can protect Toad Lake's fishery by doing their best to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species by adhering to the clean, drain, dry process after leaving a lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Toad Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Toad 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
- Toad Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Toad Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Sieverson Lake · 82 ac · 2 mi
- Little Toad Lake · 406 ac · 3.9 mi
- Bass Lake · 130 ac · 4.5 mi
- Island Lake · 1,180 ac · 5.2 mi
- Wolf Lake · 1,460 ac · 5.7 mi
- Height of Land Lake · 3,795 ac · 5.7 mi
- Shell Lake · 3,147 ac · 5.9 mi
- Hanson Lake · 35 ac · 8.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Toad Lake?
Toad Lake reaches 29 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 21 ft; about 33% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Toad Lake?
Toad Lake covers 1,715 acres with about 10.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Toad Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Toad Lake average 4.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Toad Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Toad Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Toad Lake have a public access?
Yes. Toad Lake has one public access site: Toad Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Toad Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Toad Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Toad Lake in 2021, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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