Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
3,080-acre lake near Waconia. The lake tops out around 35 ft. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1959, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Lake Waconia maps at 3,064 acres behind 10.9 miles of shoreline — one island included. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.4) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Roughly 63% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 2.8 mi end to end and 2.5 mi across at its widest. Carver County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Burandt, is 2 mi to the southwest.
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 35 ft, wintering in 11 to 35 ft. Winter walleye concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 35 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline point (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (35 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 11 to 35 ft | dusk & night | Deep basin (35 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (35 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (35 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 35 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (35 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, bluegill slide up into 1 to 6 ft. Summer is a 4 to 15 ft game here, winter a 10 to 25 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season common carp use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 3 to 15 ft game here, winter a 10 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 4 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (35 ft) |
Lake Waconia also holds yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), muskellunge (8 to 25 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 12 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 35 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* | Muskellunge (fingerlings) | 1,660 | — |
| 2025* | Walleye (fingerlings) | 31,090 | — |
| 2024* | Muskellunge (fingerlings) | 830 | — |
* 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 Waconia specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Lake Waconia is about 35 ft (11 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1959, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, common carp, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, muskellunge, brown bullhead on Lake Waconia.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 35 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. 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.
Yes — per Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports records, Lake Waconia was most recently stocked 2025 with 1,660 muskellunge (fingerlings). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Lake Waconia 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.
Burandt 2 mi · Reitz 3 mi · Parley 3 mi · Goose 3 mi · Turbid 4 mi · Rutz 4 mi · West Auburn 4 mi · Swede 5 mi · Piersons 5 mi · Mud 5 mi · East Auburn 5 mi · Stone 5 mi
See how Lake Waconia 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: Carver County fishing maps (39 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.