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5,741-acre lake near Watson. The lake tops out around 10 ft. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1957, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Drawn out, this is 6,059 acres of water rimmed by 24.5 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 2.2, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. The basin spans about 10.8 mi end to end and 2 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Chippewa County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Marsh, 12 mi northwest of here.
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 3 to 10 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 10 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 10 ft. Start at Gravel shoal. It's a gravel shoal holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Gravel shoal (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (4 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (4 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 10 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 10 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 10 ft; cold water stacks them in 3 to 10 ft. 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. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 10 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 10 ft covers summer, 3 to 10 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 3 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Gravel shoal (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Break off the point (4 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 10 ft through summer, 3 to 10 ft in winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Break off the point (4 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season rock bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 10 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 10 ft. The chart's best answer is Gravel shoal — gravel shoal, 2 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is the evening. Tie on a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Gravel shoal (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Break off the point (4 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Lac qui Parle Lake also holds white bass (3 to 10 ft in summer), crappie (3 to 10 ft in summer), bluegill (3 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 10 ft in summer), channel catfish (3 to 10 ft in summer), freshwater drum (3 to 10 ft in summer), common carp (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Lac qui Parle Lake carries 13 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 10 ft down.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Lac qui Parle Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Lac qui Parle Lake is about 10 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1957, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, white bass, crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, channel catfish, freshwater drum, common carp on Lac qui Parle Lake.
Gravel shoal is the top-rated area: a gravel shoal in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. The interactive chart above rates every 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.
Fishing on Lac qui Parle Lake 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.
Marsh 12 mi · Shible 12 mi · Oliver (east portion) 18 mi · Oliver (west portion) 19 mi · Artichoke 21 mi · Long 21 mi · Long Tom 25 mi · Otrey 26 mi · Hassel 28 mi · Hattie 31 mi · Page 31 mi · Del Clark 32 mi
See how Lac qui Parle Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best white bass lakes in Minnesota
Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.