Minnesota · Cass County
Woman Lake Fishing guide
Woman Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 5,520 acres, reaching 54 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 9.9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 20 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025One of the best around14.1per gill net13"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 431 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 223 fish
2024Lengths measured · 4 fish
2023Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 204 fish
2022Lengths measured · 195 fish
2020Largemouth bassJust a few12.1per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 111 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 91 fish
2025Lengths measured · 7 fish
2024Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
2023Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2022Smallmouth bassFair numbers15.9per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 133 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 64 fish
2025Lengths measured · 19 fish
2024Lengths measured · 1 fish
2023Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 49 fish
2022Northern pikeJust a few2.8per gill net22"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 91 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 24 fish
2024Lengths measured · 3 fish
2023Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 64 fish
2022Lengths measured · 95 fish
2020Present in recent DNR surveys.
BluegillJust a few19.2per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 799 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 201 fish
2025Lengths measured · 20 fish
2024Lengths measured · 172 fish
2023Lengths measured · 406 fish
2022CrappieJust a few0.9per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 92 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 14 fish
2025Lengths measured · 19 fish
2024Lengths measured · 23 fish
2023Lengths measured · 36 fish
2022Yellow perchExcellent numbers24.5per gill net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 872 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 391 fish
2024Lengths measured · 37 fish
2023Lengths measured · 444 fish
2022Lengths measured · 180 fish
2020Rock bassOne of the best around22.4per hr (electrofishing)6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 194 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 54 fish
2024Lengths measured · 51 fish
2023Lengths measured · 89 fish
2022Lengths measured · 58 fish
2020Rates 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 Woman 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 54 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.
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn.
- Early summer
- Smallmouth are post-spawn on rock points, gravel bars and the adjacent breaks.
- Summer
- Smallmouth are on rock humps, points and hard-bottom breaks. On a lake that drops to 54 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Smallmouth are bunched tight on deep rock, so find one and you have found the school.
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 | Smallmouth bass | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | 19" | 20" |
| 2024 | 24" | 18" | 16" |
| 2023 | 23" | 9" | 17" |
| 2022 | 25" | 19" | 15" |
| 2020 | 23" | 18" | 15" |
| 2018 | 24" | 18" | 15" |
| 2017 | 23" | 18" | 19" |
| 2006 | 27" | 19" | 14" |
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
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
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 | 980,400 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 983,970 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 978,750 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 977,445 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 985,800 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 980,560 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 977,815 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 977,400 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 977,045 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Woman Lake (DOW# 11-0201; Lake Class 22) is a 5,520-acre lake with 1,953 littoral acres, 30.31 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 54 feet located southwest of Longville, Minnesota. Two DNR owned public accesses are located on the north shore. Child (11-0263) and Girl (11-0174) lakes are connected to Woman through navigable channels. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Woman Lake is in Lake Class 22; lakes in this class are generally clear, large, deep lakes with a low percentage of shallow water area and have very irregularly shaped shorelines with many bays or points. Other lakes in this lake class in the Walker area include Little Boy, Pine Mountain, Steamboat, and Ten Mile. This was a spring electrofishing survey to assess the Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth and Smallmouth bass populations in Woman Lake.
This was the first survey targeting Black Crappie and Bluegill in an effort to develop long term management goals. Black Crappie were sampled in moderate numbers and ranged in length from 2 to 12 inches with a mean length of 9 inches. Bluegill were sampled in high numbers and ranged in length from 2 to 9 inches with a mean length of 5 inches. Largemouth Bass are abundant in vegetated areas of Woman Lake. Largemouth Bass sampled from electrofishing ranged in length from 3 to 20 inches with a mean length of 10 inches. Angling for Smallmouth Bass has become increasingly popular on Woman Lake. Smallmouth Bass ranged in length from 5 to 19 inches with a mean length of 15 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Invasive species identified in Woman Lake are Zebra Mussel, Purple Loosestrife, Rusty Crayfish, and Banded Mystery Snail. In addition, invasive species identified in Girl Lake, but not yet identified in Woman Lake, which is connected to Girl Lake through a navigable channel, are Eurasian Water Milfoil and Curly Leaf Pondweed. AIS (aquatic invasive species) are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Woman Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Woman 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
- Women Lake WMA (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Woman Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lake · 759 ac · 1.4 mi
- McKeown Lake · 168 ac · 2.4 mi
- Barnum Lake · 151 ac · 2.5 mi
- Hazel Lake · 15 ac · 2.7 mi
- Girl Lake · 428 ac · 2.8 mi
- Man Lake · 491 ac · 3.1 mi
- Child Lake · 285 ac · 3.1 mi
- Silver Lake · 121 ac · 3.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Woman Lake?
Woman Lake reaches 54 ft at its deepest point; about 35% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Woman Lake?
Woman Lake covers 5,520 acres with about 30.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Woman Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Woman Lake average 9.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Woman Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Woman Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Woman Lake have a public access?
Yes. Woman Lake has one public access site: Women Lake WMA (carry-in).
How big do walleye get in Woman 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 2006.
When was Woman Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Woman Lake in 2025, the most recent of 20 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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