Peterson Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota
Today's Fishing Forecast
Fishing looks to be extremely 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 Peterson Lake.Frequently Asked Questions About Peterson Lake, MN
- How big is Peterson Lake?
- How deep is Peterson Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Peterson Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Peterson Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Peterson Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Peterson Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Peterson Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Peterson Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Peterson Lake?
How big is Peterson Lake?
How deep is Peterson Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Peterson Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Hybrid Sunfish and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Peterson Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Peterson Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Peterson Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Peterson Lake?
History & Status of the Fishery
Peterson Lake is 130 acres with a large proportion less than 15 feet deep (94 acres). The lake has a history of partial winterkills. Lakeshore residents suspected a partial winterkill in 2018/2019 but the extent was not determined. Shoreline residents again reported possible winterkill in 2019/2020 as dead fish were observed in the spring. Winterkill conditions were observed on other area lakes.
Test netting was conducted mid-August to help sample or observe young of the year fish to determine if production occurred in the spring. Three standard gill nets, two standard trap nets and two small mesh trap nets were set at likely locations and not comparable to past effort. Gill nets sampled Black Crappie, Northern Pike and Yellow Perch at rates of 0.3, 5.6 and 17.3 per net, respectively. Pike and perch were caught in a wide range of lengths indicating multiple ages were present in the sample. Angling opportunities for pike and perch will be favorable in the very near future as pike over 30 inches and perch over 8 inches were sampled.
Standard trap nets caught Black Crappie, Brown Bullhead, Northern Pike and Yellow Perch while small mesh trap nets caught Black Crappie, Bluegill, Bluntnose Minnow, Brown Bullhead, Central Mudminnow, Golden Shiner, Northern Pike, Tadpole Madtom and Yellow Perch. A high proportion of Black Crappie caught in trap nets were less than three inches and were from spring 2020 production. Angling opportunities for crappie will likely be decent in a few years.
Peterson Lake and the fish community appear to be fairly resilient to winterkill. There appears to be enough habitat available to protect enough fish to repopulate the lake at this time. Connectivity to Little Peterson or South Ackerman may also help to repopulate the lake.
What is the average air temp for Peterson Lake?
Are there any state parks near Peterson 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 Peterson Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| South Ackerman Lake | 0.4 mi | 22 | 0 ft |
| Little Peterson Lake | 0.5 mi | 89 | |
| Goodman Lake | 0.7 mi | 15 | |
| Spring Lake | 1.3 mi | 132 | 36 ft |
| Little Spring Lake | 1.5 mi | 136 | 10 ft |
| Goose Lake | 1.8 mi | 40 | |
| La Croix Lake | 2.2 mi | 142 | 80 ft |
| Unnamed Lake | 2.4 mi | 17 | |
| East Lake | 2.4 mi | 111 | 30 ft |
| Big Too Much Lake | 2.5 mi | 292 | 95 ft |
