Minnesota · Cass County
Town Line Lake Fishing guide
Town Line Lake covers 698 acres in Cass County, Minnesota, reaching 11 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeOne of the best around18.3per gill net19"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 136 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 136 fish
2023Lengths measured · 285 fish
2018Lengths measured · 158 fish
2001Lengths measured · 38 fish
1998Yellow perchGood numbers9.7per gill net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 65 fish
2023Lengths measured · 67 fish
2018Lengths measured · 196 fish
2001Lengths measured · 68 fish
1998No 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 Town Line Lake through the year
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. 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 11-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 100% 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. A 11-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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 31" | — | — |
| 2018 | 33" | — | 14" |
| 2001 | 35" | 19" | 10" |
| 1998 | 23" | — | — |
| 1995 | 31" | 28" | 19" |
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
Weighted-EWG Weedless Swimbait
5" paddletail swimbait
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Flipping/Punching Creature Bait
4" beaver/creature-style 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Walleye | 342,979 fry |
| 2021 | Black Crappie | 1,036 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Largemouth Bass | 321 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 1,297,925 fry · 29 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 1,237,500 fry · 9,570 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,092,200 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 405,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Town Line (Townline) Lake (DOW# 11-0190, Lake Class 39) is a 698-acre lake with 698 littoral acres, 8.29 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 11 feet located north of Longville, MN. Town Line Lake is within the Chippawa National Forest and the Leech Lake Indian Reservation (LLIR) and is co-managed by MN DNR and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe's Division of Resource Management (DRM). A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned public access is located on the west shore. The majority of the shoreline is publicly owned. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Town Line Lake is in lake class 39; lakes in this class typically have a high percentage of littoral area (water depths less than 15 feet deep). Other area lakes in lake class 39 include Big Portage and Mabel. This lake is primarily managed for Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Largemouth Bass and secondarily for Northern Pike and Walleye. Partial winterkills are reported and were confirmed in the winters of 1995-1996, 2014-2015, and 2018-2019. There is the potential that more have occurred and remained undocumented.
Town Line Lake offers angling opportunity for Northern Pike and occasionally for quality Yellow Perch. One Bluegill and two Black Crappie were sampled, failing to meet management goals in the most recent survey. Low Bluegill and Black Crappie numbers are likely due to recent winterkill events. No Largemouth were caught in this survey. In the past Largemouth Bass have been stocked following winter kill events. Northern Pike were abundant exceeding the management goal and ranged in length from 12 to 32 inches with an average length of 20 inches long. Anglers are encouraged to harvest Northern Pike under 22 inches long. No Walleye were sampled in this survey. Yellow Perch were present and small in size averaging 6 inches long and ranging in length from 5 to 10 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
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 Town Line Lake is infested with Eurasian Watermilfoil. Aquatic Invasive Species (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
Town Line Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Town Line 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
- Town Line Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Town Line Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Three Island Lake · 288 ac · 3.6 mi
- Long Lake · 1,007 ac · 3.8 mi
- Boy Lake · 3,308 ac · 3.8 mi
- Boxell Lake · 66 ac · 4.6 mi
- Silver Lake · 121 ac · 5.8 mi
- Girl Lake · 428 ac · 6 mi
- Horseshoe Lake · 127 ac · 6 mi
- Hazel Lake · 15 ac · 6.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Town Line Lake?
Town Line Lake reaches 11 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Town Line Lake?
Town Line Lake covers 698 acres with about 8.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Town Line Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Town Line Lake average 7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Town Line Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Town Line Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2023; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Town Line Lake have a public access?
Yes. Town Line Lake has one public access site: Town Line Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Town Line Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 31"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Town Line Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Town Line Lake in 2023, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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