Natural lake

Cass Lake

Beltrami & Cass Counties, Minnesota

A large natural lake on the Mississippi River in north-central Minnesota, next to the town of Cass Lake in the Chippewa National Forest. It is known for walleye, northern pike, muskellunge and yellow perch, with tullibee as a key forage fish.

Air temp Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Cass Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area15,958 acres

Max depth120 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Walleye●●●●○

Main-lake bars and breaks. Jig and minnow in spring, live-bait rigs and crankbaits along deeper edges in summer.

Yellow Perch●●●●○

Big schools on sand and weed flats. Small jigs and minnows, and a strong ice-season bite.

Northern Pike●●●●○

Weed beds and bay mouths. Spoons, spinnerbaits and sucker minnows.

Muskellunge●●●○○

Cast large bucktails and gliders over weed edges and rock bars from summer into fall.

Boat launches

5 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Cass Lake (Hwy 2) AccessFree
MN DNR concrete ramp near the town of Cass LakeDirections ↗
Norway Beach AccessPublic
USFS concrete ramp at the Norway Beach recreation area on the south shoreDirections ↗
Bimijiwan Recreation Area (formerly Knutson Dam)Free
USFS ramp on the northeast shore where the Mississippi leaves the lake. Free, 14 trailer spacesDirections ↗
Pike Bay South AccessPublic
USFS concrete ramp on Pike Bay, connected to Cass LakeDirections ↗
Pike Bay North AccessPublic
City of Cass Lake concrete ramp on Pike BayDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Cass Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.

Search more bait shops near Cass Lake ↗

Local tips

This is big, open water. Wind builds fast, so watch the forecast and use bays and Pike Bay on rough days.
Walleye and pike seasons close in late winter and reopen with the May fishing opener.
Check ice conditions carefully in early and late season, especially near current where the Mississippi flows through.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

More Minnesota lakes

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Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.