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155-acre lake near Cottonwood County. The lake tops out around 12 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 depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1974, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The drawn water covers 155 acres wrapped in 3.4 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (1.9) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. The basin spans about 1 mi end to end and 0.4 mi across at its widest. It sits in Cottonwood County. If the bite dies, Summit is 2 mi to the southeast.
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 12 ft covers summer, 4 to 12 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 10 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep 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 | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
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 (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Cottonwood hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 4 to 12 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 12 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 5 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
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 (5 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring smallmouth bass on Cottonwood hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 4 to 12 ft in summer, 4 to 12 ft once it turns cold. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 10 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
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 | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 4 to 12 ft game here, winter a 4 to 12 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 5 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait 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 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring crappie on Cottonwood hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 4 to 12 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 12 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 12 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).
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 (5 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Cottonwood also holds bluegill (3 to 12 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), channel catfish (4 to 12 ft in summer), common carp (2 to 12 ft in summer), black bullhead (2 to 12 ft in summer), green sunfish (2 to 12 ft in summer), yellow bullhead (2 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Cottonwood; the deepest is Deep basin at about 12 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 (fry) | 36,500 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye (fry) | 36,500 | — |
* 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 Cottonwood specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Cottonwood is about 12 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1974, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, channel catfish, common carp, black bullhead, green sunfish, yellow bullhead on Cottonwood.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. 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, Cottonwood was most recently stocked 2025 with 36,500 walleye (fry). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Cottonwood 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.
Summit 2 mi · Fish 4 mi · Bingham 4 mi · String 5 mi · Eagle 7 mi · Timber 7 mi · Arnold's 8 mi · Independence 8 mi · Mountain 9 mi · Flahtery 11 mi · Heron (South Heron) 13 mi · Carey 14 mi
See how Cottonwood stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Cottonwood County fishing maps (14 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.