Largemouth bass across Minnesota
Minnesota rules, records and lakes for largemouth bass.
- Catch-and-release onlimit
- 8 lb 15 ozrecord
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Minnesota largemouth bass at a glance
Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) belongs to the sunfish family on the DNR list. For southern and north-central zones (statewide except northeast zone), the limit reads Catch-and-release only with a season of March 1 – May 22, 2026.
The state record is 8 lb 15 oz, taken from Auburn Lake in 2005. DNR surveys list it in 1,876 lakes; 2,142 of them have a page here. The best gill net rate belongs to Spearhead Lake: 26 per net.
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“The scrappy largemouth bass, with its jolting strikes and wild airborne leaps, is an exciting fish to catch.”
“More than 2,000 Minnesota lakes support self-sustaining largemouth bass populations. More than 500 support smallmouth bass. And don't forget rivers like the Mississippi, St. Croix, Red Lake, Zumbro and Cloquet.”
“Anglers can fish for smallmouth and largemouth bass starting each year on same day as the walleye and northern pike fishing opener. On that day, an early bass harvest season opens north and east of U.S. Highway 53 from Duluth to International Falls (red area), and in the rest of the state (green area) there is a catch-and-release bass season that runs from the regular harvest season until late May.”
- Largemouth bass: back of mouth goes way beyond back of eye.identification
- Highway 53 from Duluth to International Falls (red area), and in the rest of the state (green area) there is a catch-and-release bass season that runs from the regular harvest season until late May.identification
- Lake Vermilion – Smallmouth aren't a surprise in this lake on the edge of the BWCAW, where smallmouth were first introduced in the late 1800s.habitat
- Largemouth bass live on average up to 15 years in the wild.habitat
Quoted from the DNR fish page and the 2026 regulations identification guide, checked October 2026.
Rules for keeping largemouth bass
| Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Southern and North-central zones (statewide except Northeast Zone) | Catch-and-release only | March 1 – May 22, 2026 |
| Southern and North-central zones (statewide except Northeast Zone) | 6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth bass (when smallmouth season is open) | May 23, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Northeast Zone (north and east of U.S. Hwy 53 from Duluth to International Falls; Pelican and Ash lakes in St. | Catch-and-release only | March 1 – May 8, 2026 |
| Northeast Zone (north and east of U.S. Hwy 53 from Duluth to International Falls; Pelican and Ash lakes in St. | 6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth bass | May 9, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 |
2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations. All Minnesota limits.
Heaviest largemouth bass on record
| Category | Weight | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| certified weight | 8 lb 15 oz | Auburn Lake | Carver | 2005 |
| catch and release | 22.5 in | Lura Lake | Blue Earth | 2026 |
Minnesota DNR state records; angler names left out.
Highest largemouth bass survey catch
| Lake | Per gill net | Normal range | Avg lb | Survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spearhead Lake | 26 | 0.01 | 2022 | |
| Bass Lake, Beltrami County | 20 | 0.82 | 1990 | |
| Big Rainbarrel Lake | 16.5 | 0.74 | 1989 | |
| Carpenter Lake | 15.67 | 0.5 | 1989 | |
| Goose Lake, Carver County | 15.33 | 0.2-1.5 | 0.64 | 1995 |
| Horseshoe Lake near Backus, Cass County | 13.67 | 0.5-1.7 | 0.93 | 2024 |
| Portage (main bay) | 11.83 | 0.3-1.7 | 0.77 | 2022 |
| Calhoun Lake | 11.67 | 0.2-1.5 | 1.14 | 2023 |
| Bass Lake near Underwood, Otter Tail County | 11.5 | 0.3-1.5 | 0.59 | 2014 |
| Murphy Lake, Scott County | 11 | 0.3-0.6 | 1.41 | 2022 |
| Elk Lake, Clearwater County | 10.5 | 0.5-1.7 | 1.01 | 2025 |
| Little Cavanaugh Lake | 10.5 | 0.5-1.5 | 0.45 | 2000 |
DNR LakeFinder latest survey per lake; standard and special gill nets.
Where DNR surveys place largemouth bass
Big lakes for largemouth bass
- Rainy Lake, St. Louis County210,200 acres
- Mille Lacs Lake128,250 acres
- Leech Lake103,444 acres
- Lake Winnibigoshish56,471 acres
- Vermilion Lake39,272 acres
- Basswood Lake25,953 acres
- Kabetogama Lake24,034 acres
- Cass Lake15,958 acres
- Lake Minnetonka14,206 acres
- Otter Tail Lake14,079 acres
- Lake Pepin12,299 acres
- Big Stone Lake11,984 acres
- Pelican Lake, St. Louis County11,546 acres
- Traverse Lake10,849 acres
- St. Louis River Estuary10,255 acres
- Gull Lake, Cass County10,010 acres
- Bowstring Lake9,528 acres
- Sand Point Lake8,527 acres
- St. Croix River8,393 acres
- Pelican Lake, Crow Wing County8,367 acres
- Lake Minnewaska8,050 acres
- Island Lake Reservoir8,001 acres
- Whitefish Lake near Manhattan Beach, Crow Wing County7,714 acres
- Dead Lake, Otter Tail County7,546 acres
Flowing water with largemouth bass
- Mississippi RiverAitkin
- Otter Tail RiverOtter Tail
- St. Louis RiverSt. Louis
- Red Lake RiverPolk
- Vermilion RiverSt. Louis
- Turtle RiverBeltrami
- Island RiverLake
- Hay Creek, Goodhue CountyGoodhue
- Hay Creek, Pine CountyPine
- Hay Creek, Carlton CountyCarlton
DNR LakeFinder survey lists; largest lakes first.
Species grouped with largemouth bass
- Smallmouth basssunfish family
- Rock basssunfish family
- Black crappiesunfish family
- White crappiesunfish family
- Bluegillsunfish family
- Pumpkinseedsunfish family
- Green sunfishsunfish family
- Hybrid sunfishsunfish family
- Warmouthsunfish family
Shorelines around Largemouth bass
Photo: Jon Platek, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: chief_huddleston, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jimmy Dreger, CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers before you chase largemouth bass
Which Minnesota rules govern keeping largemouth bass?
Catch-and-release only (Southern and North-central zones (statewide except Northeast Zone)), season March 1 – May 22, 2026.
What is the biggest largemouth bass caught in Minnesota?
8 lb 15 oz from Auburn Lake (2005).
Which Minnesota waters hold largemouth bass?
Spearhead Lake leads the DNR gill net catch at 26 per net; 2,152 waters on this site list it.
Does the DNR stock largemouth bass?
5 rows on the DNR area stocking pages, such as Fireman's.
Which features mark largemouth bass?
Largemouth bass: back of mouth goes way beyond back of eye.
Does Minnesota close the season on largemouth bass?
March 1 – May 22, 2026
Which license do largemouth bass anglers buy in Minnesota?
Minnesota residents 16 to 89 need an angling license ($25 for the year); nonresidents 16 and older pay $51.
Can I hire a trip for largemouth bass?
All Minnesota operators are on the guides page.
Fish for largemouth bass this season
Every listed water opens its own Minnesota page.