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2,605-acre lake near Alexandria. The lake tops out around 150 ft. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1960, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The drawn water covers 2,604 acres wrapped in 12.7 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (1.8) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. 29% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 5 mi long by 1.6 mi wide at the broadest reach. Douglas County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Hidden, is 2 mi to the north.
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 27 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (27 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring smallmouth bass on Lake Carlos hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 45 ft. The chart's best answer is Secondary point — point, 17 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (27 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (17 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 5 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring northern pike on Lake Carlos hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 5 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| 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 | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring crappie on Lake Carlos hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 5 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).
| 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 | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring bluegill on Lake Carlos hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 25 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 small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Lake Carlos also holds brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown trout (25 to 60 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Lake Carlos carries 13 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 150 ft down.
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 (yearlings) | 4,800 | — |
| 2025* | Walleye (yearlings) | 298 | — |
| 2025* | Walleye (fingerlings) | 740 | — |
| 2025* | Walleye (adults) | 403 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye (yearlings) | 5,000 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye (yearlings) | 3,147 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye (fingerlings) | 3,913 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Lake Carlos specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Lake Carlos is about 150 ft (46 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1960, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, yellow perch, rock bass, common carp, pumpkinseed, brown trout on Lake Carlos.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 27 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, Lake Carlos was most recently stocked 2025 with 4,800 walleye (yearlings). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Lake Carlos 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.
Hidden 2 mi · Lake Le Homme Dieu 2 mi · Charley 3 mi · Ida 4 mi · Louise 4 mi · Lake Darling 4 mi · Henry 4 mi · Geneva 5 mi · Agnes 5 mi · North Union 5 mi · Stony 5 mi · Lake Miltona 5 mi
See how Lake Carlos 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: Douglas County fishing maps (64 charts). 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.