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95-acre lake near Stearns County. The lake tops out around 15 ft. The depth chart comes from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
On the chart, Black Oak draws 95 acres inside 3.4 miles of shoreline. The 2.5 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Figure 1.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.3 mi at the beam. The water lies in Stearns County. The nearest mapped water is Ellering, 1 mi to the south.
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. Through summer count on 5 to 15 ft; the winter hold is 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 15 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season pumpkinseed use the shallows, holding in 1 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 2 to 10 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Black Oak also holds common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), largemouth bass (5 to 15 ft in summer), black bullhead (3 to 15 ft in summer), bowfin (2 to 14 ft in summer), green sunfish (2 to 12 ft in summer), yellow bullhead (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Black Oak; the deepest is Deep basin at about 15 ft.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Walleye (fingerlings) | 600 | — |
| 2024* | Black Crappie (yearlings) | 512 | — |
| 2024* | Bluegill Sunfish (yearlings) | 480 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Black Oak specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Black Oak is about 15 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, common carp, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, black bullhead, bowfin, green sunfish, yellow bullhead on Black Oak.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports records, Black Oak was most recently stocked 2025 with 600 walleye (fingerlings). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Black Oak is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Ellering 1 mi · Melrose 3 mi · Maria 4 mi · Uhlenkolts 4 mi · Cedar 6 mi · Kings 6 mi · Long 7 mi · McCormic 7 mi · Sand 8 mi · Sylvia 8 mi · Little Birch 10 mi · Big Birch (S portion) 10 mi
See how Black Oak stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Stearns County fishing maps (93 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.