Minnesota · Lake County
Wilson Lake Fishing guide
Wilson Lake sits in Lake County, Minnesota, and covers 650 acres, reaching 53 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 17.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, northern pike and yellow perch in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeOne of the best around20.4per gill net15"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 290 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 290 fish
2025Lengths measured · 106 fish
2019Lengths measured · 260 fish
2011Lengths measured · 129 fish
2001Northern pikeJust a few3.4per gill net23"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 61 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 61 fish
2025Lengths measured · 20 fish
2019Lengths measured · 14 fish
2011Lengths measured · 38 fish
2001Yellow perchGood numbers5.6per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 50 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 50 fish
2025Lengths measured · 416 fish
2019Lengths measured · 752 fish
2011Lengths measured · 127 fish
2001Rates 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 Wilson Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 17.3 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 53 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 17.3 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. On a lake that drops to 53 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26" | 34" | 10" |
| 2019 | 24" | 40" | 10" |
| 2011 | 27" | 31" | 12" |
| 2001 | 26" | 31" | 11" |
| 1996 | 22" | 32" | 13" |
| 1993 | 26" | 25" | 11" |
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
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile 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 2025 survey
Wilson Lake is located 11 miles northwest of Schroeder within the Superior National Forest. There is a public water access with a concrete log ramp on the south end of the lake off Forest Service Road 170 (Four Mile Grade). The fish community is maintained entirely through natural reproduction, and a standard survey was completed in August 2025 to monitor the status of the fishery. Spring trap netting was also completed in May 2025 to sample mature Walleye and Northern Pike near spawning season.
The Walleye catch rate of 20.44 per gill net was above the normal range for similar lakes and higher than the catch from the 2019 survey. The lake has always supported an abundant Walleye population, and the 2025 catch was near the long-term average from ten historic surveys of the lake dating back to the 1970's. Size structure of the summer catch was diverse and ranged from about 6 to 26 inches long with an average length of 14.6 inches long and average weight of 1.25 pounds. The age range was also wide with fish from age-1 to age-15 sampled. Results indicate the lake continues to support a naturally reproducing Walleye population with excellent opportunities to catch and harvest fish.
Read the full DNR narrative
The Northern Pike catch from the standard summer survey was within the normal range for similar lakes and within the range from historic surveys of the lake. Pike ranged from about 14 to 34 inches long with good numbers of pike to harvest and some larger fish protected by the current Northeast Zone regulation. Survey results indicate anglers have decent opportunities for pike compared to other lakes in the area.
White Sucker and Yellow Perch are the primary forage species and catch rates were within the normal range for similar lakes and within the range from previous surveys of the lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Wilson Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Wilson 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
- Wilson Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Wilson Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Wilson Lake · 55 ac · 0.9 mi
- Harriet Lake · 265 ac · 1.9 mi
- Dam Five Lake · 78 ac · 2.1 mi
- Cross River Lake · 79 ac · 2.4 mi
- Alger Lake · 21 ac · 2.5 mi
- Steer Lake · 4 ac · 2.7 mi
- Fulton Lake · 36 ac · 2.9 mi
- South Wigwam Lake · 63 ac · 2.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Wilson Lake?
Wilson Lake reaches 53 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 30 ft; about 37% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Wilson Lake?
Wilson Lake covers 650 acres with about 7.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Wilson Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Wilson Lake average 17.3 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Wilson Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, northern pike, yellow perch.
Is Wilson Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Wilson Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Wilson Lake have a public access?
Yes. Wilson Lake has one public access site: Wilson Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Wilson Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Wilson Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Wilson Lake in 2025, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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