Minnesota · Olmsted County
Zumbro Lake Fishing guide
Zumbro Lake sits in Olmsted County, Minnesota, and covers 715 acres, reaching 43 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers40.2per hr (electrofishing)6"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 38 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 38 fish
2021Lengths measured · 6 fish
2015Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 36 fish
2011Lengths measured · 130 fish
2007Smallmouth bassFair numbers15.9per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 16 fish
2021Lengths measured · 52 fish
2015Lengths measured · 82 fish
2011Lengths measured · 94 fish
2007Northern pikeJust a few5per gill net22"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 31 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 31 fish
2021Lengths measured · 6 fish
2018Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2015Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 10 fish
2011Present and managed by the DNR. Standard survey gear does not count this species reliably.
CrappieJust a few1.7per trap net4"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 81 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 81 fish
2021Lengths measured · 94 fish
2018Lengths measured · 114 fish
2015Lengths measured · 84 fish
2011Yellow perchFair numbers2.7per gill net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 32 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 32 fish
2021Lengths measured · 7 fish
2018Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2015Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 27 fish
2011No recent survey rating.
Channel catfishGood numbers1.7per gill net23"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 10 fish
2021Lengths measured · 22 fish
2018Lengths measured · 22 fish
2015Lengths measured · 73 fish
2011White bassJust a few0.3per gill net9"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 16 fish
2021Lengths measured · 5 fish
2018Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 21 fish
2015Lengths measured · 1 fish
2011Only 1 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 Zumbro Lake through the year
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 43 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.
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 43 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 | Largemouth bass | Smallmouth bass | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16" | 19" | 18" |
| 2018 | — | — | 26" |
| 2015 | 18" | 19" | 15" |
| 2011 | 16" | 17" | 21" |
| 2007 | 17" | 16" | — |
| 2002 | 18" | 18" | — |
| 1996 | 19" | 17" | — |
| 1962 | 3" | — | — |
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:
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Muskellunge | 304 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 13,840 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 17,395 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Muskellunge | 300 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Muskellunge | 150 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 9,456 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Muskellunge | 36 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 12,000 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Lake Zumbro is a large reservoir on the Zumbro River. It is a popular recreation and fishing lake due to its proximity to Rochester, MN. The primary gamefish in the reservoir are Bluegill, Black Crappie, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Northern Pike. A walleye stocking program was initiated in 2008 and fingerlings are stocked at a rate of one pound per surface acre (600 pounds total) in even numbered years.
Black Crappie in Lake Zumbro were poorly represented in the trap nets in the 2021 survey, but were sampled in fair numbers in gill nets. However, most of the Black Crappie were under 8 inches. The Northern Pike numbers were excellent and it was the most Northern Pike sampled in a decade. Channel Catfish are present in low numbers and provide anglers with another opportunity to catch larger gamefish. Channel Catfish numbers have generally been on the decline over time.
Read the full DNR narrative
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass have historically been abundant in the reservoir, and fall electrofishing confirmed that a good population of both species exists in Lake Zumbro.
Muskellunge were introduced to Lake Zumbro in 1994 and a substantial number of fingerlings have been stocked periodically since that time. Assessments of the Muskellunge population have shown a very low number of adult fish, but occasional catches and sightings have been reported by anglers. Muskellunge have established a quality population in the Zumbro River downstream of the Lake Zumbro dam. Previous studies have shown that escapement of Muskellunge is common and most fingerlings stocked in Lake Zumbro go over the dam and into the Zumbro River system. Lake Zumbro was last stocked Muskellunge in 2018 (150 fingerlings) and 2019 (300 fingerlings).
At the time of the 2021 fisheries assessment, 6 stockings of Walleye fingerlings had taken place since the stocking program was initiated in 2008. The low catch rate of Walleye per gill net suggests that survival and contribution to the fishery are poor. However, nighttime electrofishing in 2015 sampled Walleye at a rate of 31.9 per hour on-time. Anglers have also reported catching Walleye in low numbers and it is expected that catch rates may increase as more year classes of walleye are established. The morphometry of Lake Zumbro is steep sided in many places and gill nets may not be the best indicator of Walleye abundance in this reservoir. A major dam removal and stream restoration project was completed upstream of Lake Zumbro in recent years. It is hoped that the added riverine habitat will provide spawning area for walleye.
White Bass were historically a substantial component of the fishery in Lake Zumbro. However, their numbers have declined drastically over the last 10 to 15 years. Several large die-offs of White Bass have been documented; however, a cause was never determined. It is likely that these die-offs and changes in habitat within the reservoir have limited the potential for White Bass to recover to their former abundance.
Non-game fish species such as redhorse, carpsuckers, Common Carp, and buffalo are abundant in Lake Zumbro. The presence of these species is indicative of the riverine connections above the reservoir.
A dredging project was recently completed in the upper end of Lake Zumbro. The goal was to increase depth along homeowner shorelines, marinas, boat accesses, and navigation channels. Future surveys will be performed to try and observe any effect on the fish communities from the dredging project.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Zumbro Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Zumbro 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
- Zumbro Lake, Fisherman Drive (trailer launch)
- Zumbro River, Lake Zumbro/Ponderosa (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Zumbro Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Foster-Arend Lake · 18 ac · 8 mi
- Kalmar Reservoir (KR-7) · 55 ac · 10.3 mi
- Silver Lake · 50 ac · 10.3 mi
- Cascade Ponds Lake · 72 ac · 10.7 mi
- Silver Crk Reservoir SR-2 · 107 ac · 11.1 mi
- Bear Creek Reservoir · 104 ac · 15.4 mi
- Willow Reservoir 4 · 36 ac · 16.2 mi
- Willow Reservoir 6A · 60 ac · 16.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Zumbro Lake?
Zumbro Lake reaches 43 ft at its deepest point; about 37% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Zumbro Lake?
Zumbro Lake covers 715 acres with about 22.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Zumbro Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Zumbro Lake average 5.3 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Zumbro Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass, channel catfish, white bass.
Is Zumbro Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked muskellunge and walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Zumbro Lake have a public access?
Yes. Zumbro Lake has 2 public access sites, including Zumbro Lake, Fisherman Drive (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Zumbro Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 16"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1962.
When was Zumbro Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Zumbro Lake in 2021, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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