Minnesota · Cook County
Two Island Lake Fishing guide
Two Island Lake is a 754-acre lake in Cook County, Minnesota, reaching 27 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 9.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeExcellent numbers8.6per gill net14"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 88 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 88 fish
2023Lengths measured · 73 fish
2016Lengths measured · 72 fish
2012Lengths measured · 62 fish
2008Smallmouth bassPresent4.1per gill net13"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 82 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 50 fish
2025Lengths measured · 32 fish
2023Lengths measured · 59 fish
2016Lengths measured · 62 fish
2012Northern pikeJust a few1.6per gill net19"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 17 fish
2023Lengths measured · 18 fish
2016Lengths measured · 28 fish
2012Lengths measured · 22 fish
2008BluegillJust a few3.1per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 45 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 45 fish
2023Lengths measured · 28 fish
2016Lengths measured · 90 fish
2012Lengths measured · 34 fish
2008Yellow perchFair numbers2.3per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 17 fish
2023Lengths measured · 10 fish
2016Lengths measured · 58 fish
2012Lengths measured · 69 fish
2008Rates 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 Two 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 93% 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.
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn.
- Early summer
- Smallmouth are post-spawn on rock points, gravel bars and the adjacent breaks.
- Summer
- Smallmouth are on rock humps, points and hard-bottom breaks. With 93% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Smallmouth are bunched tight on deep rock, so find one and you have found the school.
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 | Smallmouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | 17" | — |
| 2023 | 24" | 19" | 27" |
| 2016 | 20" | 18" | 34" |
| 2012 | 25" | 18" | 25" |
| 2008 | 25" | 18" | 31" |
| 2003 | 27" | 17" | 25" |
| 2000 | 28" | 18" | 30" |
| 1997 | 27" | 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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Two Island Lake is a medium-sized, 758-acre lake located off Ball Club Road, approximately 10 miles northwest of Grand Marais in Cook County, Minnesota. There is a small boat access with a concrete ramp and dock located on the northeastern side of the lake. Two Island Lake has a maximum depth of 27.0 feet, and bottom substrates primarily consist of rock that forms many underwater points and islands, creating abundant habitat for smallmouth bass. Smallmouth bass are currently one of the primary management species for the lake with special regulations in place to help maintain quality size structure. In 2025, a targeted survey was conducted on Two Island Lake using angling methods to collect length, age, and growth information on smallmouth bass.
A total of 50 smallmouth bass were caught during the 2025 survey, ranging in length from 7.7 to 17.9 inches and averaging 12.7 inches. Size distributions of smallmouth bass were relatively good with 72% of the catch exceeding 11.0 inches and 26% exceeding 14.0 inches, meeting the management goals set for smallmouth bass related to size. Age analysis revealed seven age classes present within the population that were all naturally reproduced, with some fish reaching 13 years old. Smallmouth bass growth was relatively slow, taking fish seven years to reach 14.0 inches on average. Although smallmouth bass growth was slow, fish have the potential to reach relatively large sizes within Two Island Lake. Anglers looking to target smallmouth bass on Two Island Lake can expect moderate catch rates with the opportunity to catch quality sized fish that will satisfy the avid bass angler.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Two Island Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Two 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
- Two Island Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Two Island Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Olson Lake · 34 ac · 1 mi
- Bath Lake · 28 ac · 1.5 mi
- Pit · 26 ac · 1.5 mi
- Mit Lake · 87 ac · 1.8 mi
- Thrasher Lake · 24 ac · 1.9 mi
- Thrush Lake · 15 ac · 2.1 mi
- Kemo Lake · 189 ac · 2.5 mi
- McDonald Lake · 86 ac · 2.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Two Island Lake?
Two Island Lake reaches 27 ft at its deepest point; about 93% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Two Island Lake?
Two Island Lake covers 754 acres with about 13.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Two Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Two Island Lake average 9.5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Two Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, yellow perch.
Is Two Island Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Two Island Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Two Island Lake have a public access?
Yes. Two Island Lake has one public access site: Two Island Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Two Island 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 1997.
When was Two Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Two Island Lake in 2025, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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