Minnesota · Itasca County
White Swan Lake Fishing guide
White Swan Lake is a 165-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota, reaching 19 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 9.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2006, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 20 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassPresent3.7per gill net12"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2006Lengths measured · 34 fish
2006Lengths measured · 10 fish
1996Northern pikeFair numbers6.5per gill net22"Typical38"Biggest
Lengths measured · 50 fish
Recent · 2006Lengths measured · 50 fish
2006Lengths measured · 54 fish
1996BluegillJust a few24.7per trap net4"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 301 fish
Recent · 2006Lengths measured · 301 fish
2006Lengths measured · 566 fish
1996CrappieLast stocked 2021Fair numbers11.6per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 108 fish
Recent · 2006Lengths measured · 108 fish
2006Lengths measured · 107 fish
1996Yellow perchGood numbers4.5per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2006Lengths measured · 27 fish
2006Lengths measured · 67 fish
1996Rates 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 White Swan 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. With 72% 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 19-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 72% 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 19-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 | Walleye | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 25" | 38" | 17" |
| 1996 | 25" | 36" | 16" |
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Black Crappie | 3,000 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2006 survey
White Swan Lake is 158-acre bass/panfish lake located 14 miles southeast of Bigfork, MN in northern Itasca County. The lake has a moderate amount of development but no designated public access.
The walleye gill-net catch in 2006 was 1.3/net, above the lake class average but down from the catch of 2.2/net in 1996. Walleye fingerlings have been privately purchased and stocked by lake residents on several occasions, most recently in 2004. Ages 9, 10 and 13 were represented in the 2006 gill-net sample, with six of the eight walleye corresponding to stocked years. Sampled walleye ranged from 19.8 to 25.7 inches in length, and growth was similar to the statewide average.
Read the full DNR narrative
The gill-net catch rate for northern pike (6.5/net) was near the lake class average (7.0/net) and similar to previous assessments. Gill-net sampled pike ranged from 15.2 to 39.0 inches, with an average length of 23.1 inches. Average weight of pike was relatively good at 2.8 lbs.
The largemouth bass gill-net catch rate (3.7/net) and trap-net catch rate (1.3/net) exceeded the expected normal ranges in 2006. The gill-net catch is the highest on record. Since gill-net catches are not a reliable indicator of largemouth bass abundance, it is difficult to say if this represents an actual increase in the population. Gill-net sampled bass ranged from 5.8 to 17.1 inches, with an average length of 11.9 inches.
The gill-net catch rate for yellow perch was within the lake class normal range at 4.5/net. Gill-net sampled perch ranged from 5.8 to 7.5 inches in length. Yellow perch in White Swan Lake are more important as a prey species than as a target for anglers.
The trap-net catch rate for black crappie was well above the lake class normal range at 11.6/net. Similar high catches have been observed in previous assessments. As is often the case, the high catch rate was associated with poor size structure. Trap-net sampled crappie ranged from 5.1 to 9.3 inches, with an average length of 7.3 inches. Growth was more than 15% below the statewide average.
The trap-net catch for bluegill was near the lake class average at 24.7/net. Bluegill ranged from 3.5 to 7.8 inches, with an average length of 5.0 inches.
Other species sampled included: golden shiner, hybrid and pumpkinseed sunfish and rock bass.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
White Swan Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on White Swan 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.
DNR bathymetry
White Swan Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Round Lake · 460 ac · 1.5 mi
- Wasson Lake · 438 ac · 1.5 mi
- Long (Main Bay) Lake · 346 ac · 1.9 mi
- Beaver Lake · 58 ac · 3 mi
- Antler Lake · 234 ac · 3.5 mi
- Scooty Lake · 167 ac · 4.3 mi
- Owen Lake · 268 ac · 4.3 mi
- King Lake · 311 ac · 4.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is White Swan Lake?
White Swan Lake reaches 19 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10.5 ft; about 72% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is White Swan Lake?
White Swan Lake covers 165 acres with about 3.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in White Swan Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on White Swan Lake average 9.5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in White Swan Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2006) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is White Swan Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked black crappie in 2021.
How big do walleye get in White Swan Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was White Swan Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed White Swan Lake in 2006, the most recent of 7 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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