Minnesota · Becker County
Waboose Lake Fishing guide
Waboose Lake sits in Becker County, Minnesota, and covers 232 acres, reaching 14 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 7 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5.5per gill net19"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 33 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 33 fish
2022Lengths measured · 18 fish
2017Lengths measured · 9 fish
2012Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 58 fish
2007Northern pikeOne of the best around23.8per gill net20"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 169 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 19 fish
2023Lengths measured · 150 fish
2022Lengths measured · 341 fish
2017Lengths measured · 151 fish
2012BluegillLast stocked 2024Fair numbers37.6per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 515 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 515 fish
2022Lengths measured · 100 fish
2017Lengths measured · 468 fish
2012Lengths measured · 255 fish
2007CrappieLast stocked 2024Good numbers28.4per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 543 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 2 fish
2023Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 541 fish
2022Lengths measured · 99 fish
2017Lengths measured · 328 fish
2012Yellow perchOne of the best around56per gill net5"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 346 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 1 fish
2023Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 345 fish
2022Lengths measured · 69 fish
2017Lengths measured · 343 fish
2012Rates 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 Waboose 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 14-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 14-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 | 20" | — | — |
| 2022 | 31" | 26" | 18" |
| 2017 | 29" | 24" | 13" |
| 2012 | 32" | 26" | 18" |
| 2007 | 27" | 27" | 16" |
| 2002 | 31" | 26" | — |
| 1997 | 29" | 28" | — |
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
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
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 | 232,000 fry |
| 2024 | Black Crappie | 11 adults |
| 2024 | Bluegill Sunfish | 137 adults |
| 2024 | Walleye | 8,455 fingerlings · 171 yearlings |
| 2023 | Bluegill Sunfish | 128 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 232,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 10,408 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 6,628 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 10,190 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 3,481 fingerlings · 1,539 yearlings · 191 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Waboose Lake is a 232-acre lake located in north central Becker County within the upper reaches of the Otter Tail River watershed. It lies entirely within the boundaries of both the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge and the White Earth Indian Reservation. The lake's shallow, eutrophic nature makes it susceptible to infrequent, partial winterkill. The last winterkill was documented in 2013-2014. Oxygen levels were documented to be low in 2017-2018, but a significant winterkill did not occur. Dead fish were reported in the spring of 2023, prompting a targeted fisheries survey to be conducted in May 2023 to assess the severity of the winterkill.
Dead fish of all species were observed while surveying. Trap nets captured Northern Pike, White Sucker, Yellow Perch, Golden Shiner, and two species of bullhead. These are all species which are more tolerant to low oxygen conditions. White Sucker were abundant. Northern Pike were caught in good numbers with an average length of 19 inches. Waboose Lake appears to have experienced a significant winterkill for Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Largemouth Bass during the 2022-2023 winter. Walleye and Bluegill were reintroduced during 2023. Angling opportunities for Northern Pike are still available, but it will take a few years to have quality fishing for other species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Waboose Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Waboose 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
- Waboose Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Waboose Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Round Lake · 1,094 ac · 2.3 mi
- Ice Cracking Lake · 345 ac · 2.4 mi
- Winter Lake · 117 ac · 2.9 mi
- Many Point Lake · 1,701 ac · 4.2 mi
- Little Bemidji Lake · 293 ac · 4.7 mi
- Strawberry Lake · 1,498 ac · 6.1 mi
- Island Lake · 1,180 ac · 7 mi
- Elbow Lake · 995 ac · 7.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Waboose Lake?
Waboose Lake reaches 14 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Waboose Lake?
Waboose Lake covers 232 acres with about 2.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Waboose Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Waboose Lake average 7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Waboose Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Waboose Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Waboose Lake have a public access?
Yes. Waboose Lake has one public access site: Waboose Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Waboose 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 1997.
When was Waboose Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Waboose Lake in 2023, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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