Minnesota · Hubbard County
Upper Twin Lake Fishing guide
Upper Twin Lake sits in Hubbard County, Minnesota, and covers 213 acres, reaching 12 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 8 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers7per gill net21"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 20 fish
2023Lengths measured · 23 fish
2018Lengths measured · 20 fish
2013Lengths measured · 14 fish
2008BluegillJust a few6.8per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 63 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 63 fish
2023Lengths measured · 80 fish
2018Lengths measured · 16 fish
2013Lengths measured · 28 fish
2008Yellow perchExcellent numbers21.5per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 49 fish
2023Lengths measured · 57 fish
2018Lengths measured · 60 fish
2013Lengths measured · 40 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 Upper Twin 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 12-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 12-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 | 36" | 24" | 17" |
| 2018 | 37" | 28" | 18" |
| 2013 | 22" | 26" | 12" |
| 2008 | 29" | 20" | — |
| 2003 | 41" | 25" | 16" |
| 2000 | 41" | 20" | 20" |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Walleye | 216,975 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Upper Twin (North Twin) is located in southern Hubbard County on the Hubbard-Wadena County line. Upper Twin is a very shallow lake with a maximum depth of only 12 feet. Due to its shallow depth, Upper Twin has abundant growth of both submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation. Upper Twin is connected to Lower Twin (South Twin) by a small segment of the Shell River which flows through both of these lakes. There is a state-owned public access located on the south end of Upper Twin, in the Shell River channel connecting Upper and Lower Twin Lakes. Upper Twin is a popular lake for panfish and Northern Pike fishing.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Upper Twin is in lake class 39. Class 39 lakes are generally very shallow and have a high littoral area (area of lake less than 15 feet deep). Other class 39 lakes in the Park Rapids management area include: First Crow Wing, Fourth Crow Wing, Ham, Hennepin, Hungryman, Minnie, Paine, Peysenski, Portage, Shallow, Stocking, and Wolf.
Read the full DNR narrative
Panfish are a popular choice for anglers' year-around on Upper Twin. Present and past surveys have shown the Bluegill population in Upper Twin to fluctuate from low to moderate numbers. Anglers will find good numbers of Bluegill and Pumpkinseed in the 6-8 inch size range. Black Crappie are also present but have been sampled in low numbers.
Upper Twin supports a good Northern Pike population. Abundant Northern Pike spawning habitat of shallow submerged aquatic vegetation results in excellent reproduction and recruitment of Northern Pike in Upper Twin. Sampled Northern Pike had an average length and weight of 23.5 inches and 3.9 pounds with fish measured up to 36.4 inches.
While not know as a Walleye Lake, anglers will find the Upper Twin can provide some good fishing especially early in the season. The Walleye population in Upper Twin has fluctuated from low to moderate numbers for this lake class. Sampled Walleye ranged in length from 18.1 to 24.4 inches.
Yellow Perch, an important forage species were sampled in good numbers. Sampled Yellow Perch ran small in size with an average length of 6.4 inches and fish measured up to 8.6 inches.
Upper Twin supports both Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass populations. Largemouth Bass are found in low to moderate numbers compared to other area lakes. Smallmouth Bass are present in low numbers and seem to be limited to the inlet and outlet areas.
White Sucker and Redhorse are abundant in Upper Twin, and anglers pursuing those species will find high numbers in the inlet and outlet areas.
Faucet snails and curly leaf pondweed, both aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Upper Twin. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boats before leaving the access.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Upper Twin Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Upper Twin 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
- DNR access
DNR bathymetry
Upper Twin Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lower Twin Lake · 252 ac · 0.8 mi
- Hinds Lake · 305 ac · 2.1 mi
- Lord Lake · 62 ac · 2.9 mi
- Blueberry Lake · 533 ac · 3.2 mi
- Moran Lake · 101 ac · 3.5 mi
- Stocking Lake · 362 ac · 3.6 mi
- Spirit Lake · 114 ac · 5.5 mi
- Duck Lake · 326 ac · 5.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Upper Twin Lake?
Upper Twin Lake reaches 12 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 6 ft; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Upper Twin Lake?
Upper Twin Lake covers 213 acres with about 3.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Upper Twin Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Upper Twin Lake average 8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Upper Twin Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Upper Twin Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2016.
Does Upper Twin Lake have a public access?
Yes. Upper Twin Lake has one public access site: DNR access.
How big do northern pike get in Upper Twin Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 36"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2000.
When was Upper Twin Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Upper Twin Lake in 2023, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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