Natural lake

Upper Red Lake

Beltrami County, Minnesota

Minnesota's largest lake is split between Upper and Lower Red Lake. The public part of Upper Red Lake has a big walleye fishery after a successful restoration, and it's very popular for ice fishing.

Air temp in Ponemah, MN Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Upper Red Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area—

Max depth—

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Walleye●●●●●

Harvest rules are set each year.

Northern Pike●●●●○

Weed edges and bays. Spoons, spinnerbaits and tip-ups through the ice.

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Schools on mud and sand flats. Great through the ice.

Crappie●●○○○

Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.

Boat launches

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

More public accessPublic
See the MN DNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Northern Pike Stated as possession limit	Release 30-40 in	3 / day (1 over 40 in)
Walleye Restrictions posted at accesses and on DNR website; not confirmed

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Hillman's Store & Bait StationAt lake
Hillman Dr NE, Waskish(218) 647-8504 Directions ↗
Northern Bait and Convenience14.6 mi
146 State Highway 92, Gonvick(218) 487-6555 Directions ↗
West Wind ResortNearby
54719 State Hwy 72 NE, Waskish(218) 647-8998 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Upper Red Lake ↗

Local tips

Lower Red Lake and most of Upper Red are Red Lake Nation waters and are closed to non-band members.
Walleye limits are set each season.
Shallow and wind-swept. Ice roads are maintained by resorts.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.

More Minnesota lakes

Leech Lake Lake Winnibigoshish Rainy Lake Lake Vermilion Lac la Croix Basswood Lake Kabetogama Lake Namakan Lake All Minnesota lakes →

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