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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
31-acre lake near Hennepin County. The lake tops out around 7 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Cornelia runs 31 acres with 1.3 miles of edge. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Figure 0.5 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.2 mi at the beam. The water lies in Hennepin County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Centennial, 1 mi southeast of here.
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 2 to 7 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 7 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 7 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm 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 | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 7 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 7 ft, and they winter in 2 to 7 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) 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 | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish settle into 2 to 7 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig 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 | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Come spring, look for pumpkinseed tight to the bank in 1 to 7 ft. Through summer count on 1 to 7 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 7 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) 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 | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: common carp sit in 1 to 7 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 1 to 7 ft covers summer, 2 to 7 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
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 7 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 7 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 7 ft, and they winter in 2 to 7 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage 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 | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Cornelia also holds black bullhead (1 to 7 ft in summer), green sunfish (1 to 7 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Main-lake point, around 7 ft, is the deepest of them.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Black Crappie (adults) | 20 | — |
| 2025* | Bluegill Sunfish (adults) | 175 | — |
| 2025* | Northern Pike (adults) | 30 | — |
| 2025* | Pumpkinseed Sunfish (adults) | 133 | — |
| 2025* | Yellow Perch (adults) | 999 | — |
| 2024* | Bluegill Sunfish (adults) | 310 | — |
| 2024* | Largemouth Bass (adults) | 17 | — |
| 2024* | Northern Pike (adults) | 25 | — |
* 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 Cornelia specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Cornelia is about 7 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, common carp, northern pike, black bullhead, green sunfish on Cornelia.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in 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, Cornelia was most recently stocked 2025 with 20 black crappie (adults). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Cornelia 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.
Centennial 1 mi · Highland Park Pond 2 mi · Arrowhead 3 mi · Penn 3 mi · Harriet 3 mi · Diamond 4 mi · Southeast Anderson 4 mi · Bush 4 mi · Smetana 4 mi · North Anderson 4 mi · Smith Pond 4 mi · Southwest Anderson 4 mi
See how Cornelia stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota · best bluegill lakes in Minnesota · best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Hennepin County fishing maps (102 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Shoreline: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). This is a shoreline guide. Modeled depth contours have been retired. 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.