Fishing in Minnesota
Lakes, trout streams, Lake Superior and piers across all 87 counties, with DNR survey catch and limits.
Search a town, county, lake or bait shop
- 3,570lakes
- 297streams
- 460piers
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Lake Vermilion: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
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Walleye lakes, trout streams and Lake Superior
Minnesota counts more than 4,000 DNR-listed lakes with surveys or public access, from Lake of the Woods and the Mille Lacs, Leech and Winnibigoshish walleye lakes to the metro bass lakes, the trout streams of the southeast and the North Shore of Lake Superior. The DNR manages all of it, with three northern pike zones and long ice seasons.
This guide covers 3,570 lake pages (3,569 with DNR survey catch), 297 river and trout stream pages, 2,980 access pages, 437 fishing pier pages, 385 bait shops, all 87 counties and 870 towns, with DNR limits on every page.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 The largest Minnesota lakes
Lake of the Woods
725,583 acres, Lake of the Woods County
Lake pageRainy Lake, St. Louis County
210,200 acres, St. Louis County and Koochiching County
Lake pageMille Lacs Lake
128,250 acres, Mille Lacs County and Aitkin County
Lake pageRed Lake (Upper Red)
119,294 acres, Beltrami County
Lake pageLeech Lake
103,444 acres, Cass County
Lake pageLake Winnibigoshish
56,471 acres, Cass County and Itasca County
Lake pageVermilion Lake
39,272 acres, St. Louis County
Lake pageLac la Croix
29,597 acres, St. Louis County
Lake pagePages by kind of water
- Lakes3,570 lakes
- Rivers and trout streams297 rivers and streams
- Trout streamsevery designated stream
- Lake SuperiorNorth Shore harbors and piers
- Fishing piersDNR piers and shore sites
- Countiesall 87
- Towns870 towns
- Species58 species
Licenses, limits and live data
- Minnesota A to Zevery lake, river, county and town page
- State recordscertified weight and catch-and-release records
- Water levelsUSGS and Corps of Engineers gauges
- Trout streamsdesignated streams by county
- Guides and outfitterslaunch services, fish houses, charters
- StockingDNR area office stocking tables
- Lake SuperiorNorth Shore harbors and limits
- Fishing piersDNR piers and shore sites
- Boat rampspublic water accesses by county
- Bait shopstackle by region
- License and limitsfees, seasons and limits
- Free fishing weekendslicense-free dates
- TournamentsDNR permits and results
Minnesota fishing questions
Which license do I need to fish in Minnesota?
Minnesota residents 16 to 89 need an angling license ($25 for the year); nonresidents 16 and older pay $51. Trout water and Lake Superior also take the $10 trout and salmon stamp.
What is the biggest lake in Minnesota?
Lake of the Woods is the largest lake page here, at 725,583 acres on the DNR LakeFinder record.
When is the walleye opener?
May 9, 2026 in 2026.
Where are the Minnesota trout streams?
In the southeast counties, along the North Shore and on designated trout lakes; 207 stream pages here.
When do fish houses have to come off the ice?
March 1, 2027 in the southern part of the state and March 15, 2027 in the north, with separate border water dates.
Which agency manages Minnesota fisheries?
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Where are the walleye tournaments?
Mille Lacs, Lake of the Woods, Leech, Winnibigoshish and the Mississippi River pools lead the permit list and the published results.
Are there free fishing days?
Yes, three license-free weekends a year for residents; dates are on the free fishing page.