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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
130-acre lake near Blue Earth County. The lake tops out around 6 ft. The depth chart comes from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The drawn water covers 130 acres wrapped in 2.1 miles of bank. Its 1.3 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Figure 0.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.4 mi at the beam. Blue Earth County claims this one. Lura sits 7 mi southeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 2 to 6 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 6 ft, and they winter in 2 to 6 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for fall walleye. Time it for the evening and early morning. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep 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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (2 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (2 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig 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 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, crappie slide up into 2 to 6 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 6 ft, winter 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 6 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 6 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait 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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (2 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 6 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 6 ft, winter 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 2 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 2 to 6 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 6 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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Ida also holds black bullhead (1 to 6 ft in summer), yellow bullhead (1 to 6 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 6 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) | 335,000 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye (fry) | 670,000 | — |
* 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 Ida specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Ida is about 6 ft (2 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, bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, black bullhead, yellow bullhead on Ida.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
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, Ida was most recently stocked 2025 with 335,000 walleye (fry). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Ida 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.
Lura 7 mi · Bass 7 mi · Mills 12 mi · Loon 13 mi · Crystal 14 mi · Fedji 17 mi · Troost Pond 17 mi · Lions 18 mi · Perch 19 mi · Hiniker Pond 20 mi · Dorothy 20 mi · Imogene 22 mi
See how Ida 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: Blue Earth 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.