Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Upper Cullen Lake Fishing guide
Upper Cullen Lake is a 442-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 40 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 13.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers1.9per gill net20"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 17 fish
2021Lengths measured · 18 fish
2015Lengths measured · 7 fish
2009Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 18 fish
2003Largemouth bassFair numbers41.4per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 86 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 86 fish
2021Lengths measured · 34 fish
2015Lengths measured · 40 fish
2009Lengths measured · 121 fish
2003Northern pikeGood numbers13.1per gill net20"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 119 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 119 fish
2021Lengths measured · 78 fish
2015Lengths measured · 115 fish
2009Lengths measured · 101 fish
2003BluegillJust a few6.6per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 129 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 129 fish
2021Lengths measured · 110 fish
2015Lengths measured · 154 fish
2009Lengths measured · 322 fish
2003CrappieJust a few1.2per trap net8"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 56 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 56 fish
2021Lengths measured · 23 fish
2015Lengths measured · 9 fish
2009Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 74 fish
2003Yellow perchGood numbers5per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 48 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 48 fish
2021Lengths measured · 22 fish
2015Lengths measured · 10 fish
2009Lengths measured · 6 fish
2003Only 6 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 Upper Cullen Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 13.5 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. On a lake that drops to 40 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 13.5 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 40 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34" | 24" | 19" |
| 2015 | 29" | 28" | 18" |
| 2009 | 34" | 25" | 17" |
| 2003 | 36" | 27" | 18" |
| 1998 | 34" | 20" | 5" |
| 1993 | 26" | 26" | 14" |
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 · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
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 2021 survey
Upper Cullen Lake is a 435 acre lake, with a maximum depth of 40', located 6 miles northeast of the town of Nisswa in Crow Wing County. Upper Cullen is located in the Crow Wing River watershed. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Ten 100' long sampling stations were evenly spaced around the lakeshore. Each station was then sampled by backpack electrofishing, and if conditions allowed with a 15' or 50' 1/8th inch seine.
The survey took place September 2nd, 2021, with all 10 stations sampled by backpack electrofishing. The 50' 1/8th inch seine was used at 4 stations and the 15' 1/8th inch seine was used at 3 stations. Fifteen species were sampled, including six species that are intolerant of habitat disturbance: Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Least Darter, and Pugnose Shiner. This nearshore survey will be used along with the gill net and trap net survey conducted July 6-9, 2021, to calculate a Fish-Based Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health by the types of fish species present and comparing it to what is expected for this type of lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Upper Cullen Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Upper Cullen 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
- Public access: Through culvert on outlet to Middle Cullen on south shore.
DNR bathymetry
Upper Cullen Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Middle Cullen Lake · 405 ac · 1 mi
- Little Pelican Lake · 271 ac · 2.1 mi
- East Twin Lake · 163 ac · 2.3 mi
- Lower Cullen Lake · 560 ac · 2.5 mi
- West Twin Lake · 128 ac · 2.9 mi
- Mayo Lake · 164 ac · 3.3 mi
- Edna Lake · 156 ac · 3.5 mi
- Pelican Lake · 8,367 ac · 3.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Upper Cullen Lake?
Upper Cullen Lake reaches 40 ft at its deepest point; about 68% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Upper Cullen Lake?
Upper Cullen Lake covers 442 acres with about 4.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Upper Cullen Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Upper Cullen Lake average 13.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Upper Cullen Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Upper Cullen Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Upper Cullen Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Upper Cullen Lake have a public access?
Yes. Upper Cullen Lake has one public access site: Public access (Through culvert on outlet to Middle Cullen on south shore.).
How big do northern pike get in Upper Cullen Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Upper Cullen Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Upper Cullen Lake in 2021, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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