Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Whipple Lake Fishing guide
Whipple Lake covers 301 acres in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 28.7 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 11.3 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassFair numbers34per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 110 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 11 fish
2022Lengths measured · 99 fish
2021Lengths measured · 77 fish
2014Lengths measured · 125 fish
2003No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeGood numbers10.6per gill net18"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 99 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 64 fish
2022Lengths measured · 35 fish
2021Lengths measured · 52 fish
2014Lengths measured · 47 fish
2003BluegillJust a few15.8per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 219 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 170 fish
2022Lengths measured · 49 fish
2021Lengths measured · 132 fish
2014Lengths measured · 163 fish
2003CrappieJust a few0.8per trap net6"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 107 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 45 fish
2022Lengths measured · 62 fish
2021Lengths measured · 26 fish
2014Lengths 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 Whipple Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 11.3 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. With 98% 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 11.3 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. With 98% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- 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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 32" | 19" | 8" |
| 2021 | 29" | 19" | 7" |
| 2014 | 27" | 18" | 7" |
| 2003 | 27" | 20" | 8" |
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
Bluegill · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
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 2022 survey
A targeted survey including nearshore, trap net, and gill net sampling was completed during the week of June 27th, 2022 in Whipple Lake by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff.
Nearshore 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 all ten sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample five stations, a 15-foot seine was used at four stations, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at one station. Nearshore sampling captured 10 species of fish including two species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blacknose Shiner and Iowa Darter) and zero species that are tolerant of disturbance.
Read the full DNR narrative
Six trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill (55%) and Yellow Bullhead (22%) comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number, and Yellow Bullhead (33%), Bluegill (22%), and Northern Pike (19%) comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Black Bullheads sampled per net was more than double the 75th quartile for similar lake class 32 lakes. The number of Bluegill, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, and Yellow Bullheads sampled per net were all above the 50% quartile for similar Lake Class 32 lakes. Conversely, the number of Yellow Perch sampled per net were at the 25% quartile for similar Lake Class 32 lakes.
Four gill nets were set in open water locations. Black Bullhead (26%), Yellow Bullhead (22%), and Northern Pike (24%) comprised a majority of the gill net catch by number, and Northern Pike (52%), Yellow Bullhead (16%), and Black Bullhead (16%) comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Black Bullheads sampled per net was more than five times the 75th quartile for similar lake class 32 lakes. The number of Black Crappies and Northern Pike sampled per net were more than double the 75th quartile for similar lake class 32 lakes. The number of Largemouth Bass sampled per net was above the 75% quartile, and number of Yellow Bullheads sampled per net was above the 50% quartile for similar Lake Class 32 lakes. Conversely, the number of Yellow Perch sampled per net were at the 25% quartile for similar Lake Class 32 lakes.
The fish data collected during the June 27th, 2022 nearshore, trap net, and gill net surveys were combined to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (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., Blacknose Shiner and Iowa Darter), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead). 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.
Data from this survey provides supporting evidence that the fish community in Whipple Lake is adversely impacted by stressors as indicated by an FIBI score below the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Crow Wing River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Whipple Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Whipple 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
- County access: East shore south of public swimming beach.
DNR bathymetry
Whipple Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- White Sand Lake · 415 ac · 1.1 mi
- Red Sand Lake · 521 ac · 1.3 mi
- Perch Lake · 266 ac · 2.4 mi
- Dade Lake · 99 ac · 3.1 mi
- Hardy Lake · 105 ac · 4.5 mi
- Sylvan Lake · 894 ac · 4.5 mi
- Sylvan Lake · 322 ac · 5 mi
- Love Lake · 79 ac · 5.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Whipple Lake?
Whipple Lake reaches 28.7 ft at its deepest point; about 98% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Whipple Lake?
Whipple Lake covers 301 acres with about 6.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Whipple Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Whipple Lake average 11.3 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Whipple Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Whipple Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Whipple Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Whipple Lake have a public access?
Yes. Whipple Lake has one public access site: County access (East shore south of public swimming beach.).
How big do northern pike get in Whipple Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 32"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2003.
When was Whipple Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Whipple Lake in 2022, the most recent of 7 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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