Island Lake
Clearwater County, Minnesota
Today's Fishing Forecast
Fishing looks to be moderately active with peak fishing times around 3-5 PM. SEE MORE
Share your catch!
We want to see what you've caught on Island Lake.Frequently Asked Questions About Island Lake, MN
- How big is Island Lake?
- How deep is Island Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Island Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Island Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Island Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Island Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Island Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Island Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Island Lake?
How big is Island Lake?
How deep is Island Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Island Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, Hornyhead Chub and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Island Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Island Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Island Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Island Lake?
Explore the Island Lake area in a RV
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2025 Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf - Family Friendly & Adventure Ready!
Bemidji, MN
History & Status of the Fishery
Island Lake is a 44-acre lake with a maximum depth of 58 feet located 10 miles southwest of the village of Zerkel in Clearwater County. Rules specific to designated trout lakes can be found in the regulation book.The lake is located south of HWY 200 off of the Height of Land Forest Road. There is a DNR public water access with an earthen ramp and parking for approximately 2 vehicles/trailers. The access road is narrow and is not suitable for larger boats. Winter access may be difficult and require a snowmobile or utility vehicle.
Island is a designated stream trout lake managed for Rainbow Trout so a trout stamp is required for most anglers that want to fish on the lake. The lake is stocked with 2,000 catchable-size Rainbow Trout annually.Rules specific to designated trout lakes can be found in the regulation book.
Island Lake has been managed as a stream trout lake since the 1970s and has a history of producing quality trout fishing throughout much of that time. In the early 2000s, Island Lake became overrun with Green Sunfish. They were soon utilizing most of the forage resources in the lake and started to outcompete stocked Rainbow Trout. As a result the lake's stocking strategies have been changed from "put and grow" where small trout are stocked and grow to acceptable sizes for anglers in the lake to "put and take" where catchable-size trout are stocked directly from the hatchery.
Early results of the new stocking strategy are promising, with catch rates for Rainbow Trout increasing from the previous survey. Rainbow Trout had a good average size of over 14 inches, with fish up to 22 inches in length captured. Reports of good trout fishing in both summer and winter on Island Lake have been received by the Bemidji Area Fisheries Office in recent years.
As stated previously Green Sunfish are very abundant in Island Lake. Although a nuisance to trout management, they are readily caught, put up a good fight for their size and are similar to other sunfish species as far as table fare. Green Sunfish over 8 inches in length were captured in this survey.
Are there any state parks near Island Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Island Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Tincup Lake | 0.7 mi | 17 | |
| Sargent Lake | 0.7 mi | 12 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.1 mi | 20 | |
| Terway Lake | 1.4 mi | 25 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.4 mi | 10 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.6 mi | 25 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.7 mi | 12 | |
| Skinaway Lake | 1.8 mi | 10 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.9 mi | 15 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.9 mi | 17 |
