Minnesota · Aitkin County
Waukenabo Lake Fishing guide
Waukenabo Lake is a 668-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota, reaching 38 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 5.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.6per gill net17"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 60 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2025Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 59 fish
2025Lengths measured · 21 fish
2020Lengths measured · 31 fish
2018Largemouth bassFair numbers24.4per hr (electrofishing)7"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 151 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 4 fish
2025Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 147 fish
2025Lengths measured · 5 fish
2020Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 10 fish
2018Northern pikeFair numbers6.1per gill net23"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 92 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 10 fish
2025Lengths measured · 82 fish
2025Lengths measured · 29 fish
2020Lengths measured · 50 fish
2018BluegillJust a few9.7per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 299 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 110 fish
2025Lengths measured · 189 fish
2025Lengths measured · 110 fish
2020Lengths measured · 29 fish
2020CrappieJust a few2.8per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 233 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 37 fish
2025Lengths measured · 196 fish
2025Lengths measured · 85 fish
2020Lengths measured · 89 fish
2018Yellow perchFair numbers3.6per gill net5"Typical6"Biggest
Lengths measured · 44 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2025Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 43 fish
2025Lengths measured · 20 fish
2020Lengths measured · 12 fish
2018Rates 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 Waukenabo 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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27" | 17" | 34" |
| 2020 | 22" | 16" | 35" |
| 2018 | 24" | 11" | 36" |
| 2015 | 28" | 19" | 27" |
| 2010 | 26" | 18" | 35" |
| 2005 | 24" | 18" | 30" |
| 2000 | 24" | 18" | 31" |
| 1995 | 27" | 18" | 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:
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 · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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
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 | 6,522 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 3,876 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 4,101 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 7,083 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 3,375 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 3,892 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 200,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 14,625 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 14,168 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Waukenabo Lake was conducted on June 30 - July 2, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at fourteen sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample nine stations and a 15-foot seine was used at four stations. One station was not seined due to dense vegetation. Nearshore sampling captured seventeen species of fish, including five species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass). No species tolerant of disturbance were captured.
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by LBMA program staff. Twelve trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured eleven species of fish, including one that is intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Rock Bass) and one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead). Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number and Bowfin and Northern Pike comprised a majority by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from an August 2025 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based index of biological integrity (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish and Common Carp). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Waukenabo Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score above the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings, including a repeat survey conducted in 2025 to understand variability, which indicated that Waukenabo is biologically healthy. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Mississippi River - Brainerd watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Waukenabo Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Waukenabo Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Waukenabo 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
- Waukenabo Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Waukenabo Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Round Lake · 634 ac · 1.5 mi
- Esquagamah Lake · 842 ac · 3.3 mi
- Moulton Lake · 258 ac · 7.1 mi
- Gun Lake · 712 ac · 7.7 mi
- Blind Lake · 304 ac · 8.2 mi
- French Lake · 149 ac · 8.6 mi
- Wilkins Lake · 349 ac · 8.9 mi
- Fleming Lake · 319 ac · 9.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Waukenabo Lake?
Waukenabo Lake reaches 38 ft at its deepest point; about 44% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Waukenabo Lake?
Waukenabo Lake covers 668 acres with about 5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Waukenabo Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Waukenabo Lake average 5.4 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Waukenabo Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Waukenabo Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Waukenabo Lake have a public access?
Yes. Waukenabo Lake has one public access site: Waukenabo Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Waukenabo Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Waukenabo Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Waukenabo Lake in 2025, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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