Pickeral Lake
Becker County, Minnesota
Today's Fishing Forecast
Fishing looks to be very active with peak fishing times around 7-8 AM and 3-5 PM. SEE MORE
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We want to see what you've caught on Pickeral Lake.Frequently Asked Questions About Pickeral Lake, MN
- How big is Pickeral Lake?
- How deep is Pickeral Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Pickeral Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Pickeral Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Pickeral Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Pickeral Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Pickeral Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Pickeral Lake?
How big is Pickeral Lake?
How deep is Pickeral Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Pickeral Lake?
What are the closest cities to Pickeral Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Pickeral Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Pickeral Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Pickeral Lake?
Explore the Pickeral Lake area in a RV
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2025 Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf - Family Friendly & Adventure Ready!
Bemidji, MN
What aquatic invasive species are found in Pickeral Lake?
Join us in the fight to prevent the spread of invasive species These sneaky creatures can hitch a ride on boats, clinging onto propellers, anchor lines, and trailers. They can even survive in hidden places like bilge water and ballast tanks, or disguise themselves in dirt and sand that sticks to nets, buckets, anchors, and waders. But don't worry, we have the power to stop them in their tracks with just a few simple steps. So let's do our part and protect our waters from these unwanted invaders.
History & Status of the Fishery
Pickerel Lake is a long, narrow, 361-acre lake located about seven miles northeast of Detroit Lakes. It has a steep, rocky shoreline over much of its length and is considered to be moderately productive. There are no inlets or outlets and the high-water levels beginning in 1998 were primarily influenced by groundwater. A 22-acre bay connected to the south end is over 70 feet deep and tends to have cooler water temperatures than the main basin. A standard fisheries survey was conducted in early July 2022 to evaluate the fish populations at Pickerel Lake.
In 2022, gill net catch rates of Walleye decreased from 2017 to 4.8 per set. This is about half of Pickerel Lake's historical average of 10.6 fish per gill net. The average length of Walleyes sampled in 2022 was 19.4 inches and lengths ranged from 13.5 to 23.9 inches. The survey showed that 93% of the Walleye population was over 15 inches and 44% are over 20 inches.
Northern Pike were the most abundant predators captured during the 2022 survey. The average gill net catch rate for Northern Pike in 2022 (15.3 per set) was nearly the same as 2017 (15.7 per set). Higher Northern Pike catch rates are strongly correlated with higher water levels, which have occurred in Pickerel Lake since the late 1990's.
Trap net catches of Bluegill averaged 21.6 fish per set in 2022, a little below the lake's historical average of 28.4 Bluegills per trap net. Lengths of sampled Bluegills ranged from 3.4 to 9.1 inches with an average of 5.8 inches. Seven-year-old Bluegills were found to be approximately six inches long.
Catch rates of Largemouth Bass were higher than previous surveys. Nets sampled 52 Largemouth Bass compared to 28 in 2017. Largemouth Bass tended to be small with the average one measuring 10.9 inches with a range of 6.7 to 16.5 inches.
Black Crappie catch continues to be low. Nets caught a total of 12 Black Crappie in 2022, compared to 13 in the 2017 survey. Lengths of sampled crappies ranged from 5.9 to 11.3 inches with an average of 8.8 inches.
Rock Bass were first surveyed in Pickerel Lake in 2004. They reached historical high catch rates for gill nets in 2012 (13.0 per net) and remained high in 2022 with 11.2 per net caught. Yellow Perch catches have been low for over 25 years in Pickerel Lake, but the 2022 catch rate was the highest since 2008 at 3.2 perch per gill net. This lake's historical mean is 15.3 perch per gill net. Other sampled species included Black, Brown, and Yellow Bullhead, Golden Shiner, Pumpkinseed, and White Sucker.
What is the average air temp for Pickeral Lake?
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Pickeral Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Pickerel Lake | 0.1 mi | 361 | 74 ft |
| Pickerel Lake | 0.3 mi | 361 | 74 ft |
| Five Lake | 1.5 mi | 240 | |
| Sand Lake | 1.7 mi | 12 | |
| Cotton Lake | 1.8 mi | 1,763 | 28 ft |
| Little Cotton Lake | 2.0 mi | 40 | |
| Perch Lake | 2.0 mi | 48 | 38 ft |
| Rochert Lake | 2.4 mi | 17 | |
| Werk Lake | 2.8 mi | 82 | |
| North Twin Lake | 3.2 mi | 32 |
