Minnesota · Itasca County
Whitefish Lake Fishing guide
Whitefish Lake is a 564-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota, reaching 51 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeGood numbers4.3per gill net17"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 39 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 39 fish
2019Lengths measured · 45 fish
2008Lengths measured · 25 fish
1998Northern pikeJust a few4.7per gill net19"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 46 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 46 fish
2019Lengths measured · 69 fish
2008Lengths measured · 166 fish
1998Yellow perchExcellent numbers28.6per gill net5"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 282 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 282 fish
2019Lengths measured · 62 fish
2008Lengths measured · 361 fish
1998Rates 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 Whitefish 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. On a lake that drops to 51 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 51 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 24" | — | 25" |
| 2008 | 26" | — | 27" |
| 1998 | 27" | 6" | 31" |
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 · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2019 survey
Whitefish Lake is located 3 miles south of Wirt, MN in the Big Fork River watershed and the Chippewa National Forest. The 2009 lake management plan (LMP) listed Walleye and Northern Pike as primary management species and Black Crappie as secondary management species. A standard lake survey was conducted in August 2019 to assess the status of the fish community. An Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) survey was also conducted to sample nearshore fishes not typically sampled in standard nets. Results of that assessment are summarized in a separate report.
Walleye gill-net catches had ranged from 2.7 to 8.6/net in previous surveys. The 2019 catch of 4.3/net was slightly below average for the lake and similar lakes. Size structure was favorable for anglers; sampled Walleye ranged from 9.6 to 24.2 inches with an average length of 15.9 inches. No stocking of any kind has occurred since 1973 and all fish are the result of natural reproduction. Ages 1-8, and 17 were represented, indicating frequent but variable reproduction. Ages 1 and 4 were the most frequently sampled. Growth was similar to the statewide average. Walleye exceeded 17 inches after 5 years. Whitefish Lake likely provides fair angling opportunities for Walleye, at least for "eating size" fish less than 20 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
Gill-net catches for Northern Pike had ranged from 2.1 to 17.4/net in previous surveys. The 2019 catch rate (4.7/net) was below average for the lake and similar lakes. Size structure was poor and similar to the previous survey. Gill-net sampled pike ranged from 14.6 to 25.0 inches with an average length of 20.4 inches. Six year classes were identified from age 1 to 5, and 7. Growth was considered average; pike averaged 20 inches after four years. Poor size structure likely limits the popularity of the pike fishery.
Net catches for Black Crappie have typically been low in past surveys. The 2019 gill-net catch was below average compared to similar lakes, while no crappie were sampled in trap nets. The few fish sampled ranged from 7.9 to 11.7 inches. No age and growth data were collected, but the length-frequency distribution suggested at least two year classes were present.
Pumpkinseeds have been the most commonly sampled sunfish in all surveys, and catch rates have generally been low. The 2019 trap-net catch was average for the lake and similar lakes. Sampled Pumpkinseeds ranged from 3.0 to 7.0 inches. Bluegill were sampled for the first time in 2008 in low numbers. In 2019, one Bluegill was sampled in a gill net, and two Hybrid Sunfish were captured in trap nets.
Yellow Perch are an important prey species for larger predators like Walleye and Northern Pike. Gill-net catches for perch have been within the expected range in all but one survey. The 2019 catch of 28.6/net was above average for the lake and lakes with similar habitat. Sampled perch ranged from 5.0 to 11.7 inches with an average length of 6.2 inches. Few fish exceeded 8 inches, so perch in Whitefish Lake are likely more important as a prey species than as a target for anglers.
Gill-net catches for Tullibee have generally been near or below average compared to similar lakes. The 2019 catch of 1.6/net was average for the lake. Tullibee ranged from 7.8 to 17.5 inches with an average length of 12.0 inches. The length-frequency distribution suggested at least three year classes were present. Tullibee can be an important prey species for larger predators like Northern Pike and Walleye.
Other species sampled in the latest survey included Bowfin, Yellow Bullhead, Rock Bass and White Sucker.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Whitefish Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Whitefish 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
- Whitefish Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Whitefish Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Whitefish Lake · 160 ac · 1.5 mi
- Cedar Lake · 178 ac · 3.1 mi
- Little Sand Lake · 353 ac · 3.9 mi
- Rush Island Lake · 297 ac · 4.1 mi
- Rice Lake · 791 ac · 4.1 mi
- Noma Lake · 61 ac · 4.8 mi
- Clear Lake · 140 ac · 4.8 mi
- East Lake · 111 ac · 5.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Whitefish Lake?
Whitefish Lake reaches 51 ft at its deepest point; about 46% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Whitefish Lake?
Whitefish Lake covers 564 acres with about 4.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Whitefish Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Whitefish Lake average 9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Whitefish Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Whitefish Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Whitefish Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Whitefish Lake have a public access?
Yes. Whitefish Lake has one public access site: Whitefish Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Whitefish Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1998.
When was Whitefish Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Whitefish Lake in 2019, the most recent of 8 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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