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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
166-acre lake near St. Louis County. The lake tops out around 68 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Drawn out, this is 166 acres of water rimmed by 2.9 miles of bank. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. About 48% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 1.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.4 mi at the beam. You'll find it in St. Louis County. The nearest mapped water is Fat, 2 mi to the northeast.
Come spring, look for lake whitefish tight to the bank in 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 20 to 68 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 68 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 58 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon 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 | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 68 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (58 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (31 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 20 to 68 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (58 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Come spring, look for cisco (lake herring) tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 20 to 68 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 58 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic 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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (31 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 20 to 68 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (58 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (58 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Spring walleye on Little Loon hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 31 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (17 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (31 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. Fall smallmouth bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 17 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (31 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (31 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: burbot in 20 to 68 ft. The depth story barely changes: 20 to 68 ft through summer, 15 to 60 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 58 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Plan around after dark and midday in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy jig + cut bait 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 | 20 to 68 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (58 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 20 to 68 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (58 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 20 to 68 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (58 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (58 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 58 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Little Loon specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Little Loon is about 68 ft (21 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, burbot on Little Loon.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 58 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For lake whitefish, the summer bite is best in 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 Little Loon 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.
Fat 2 mi · Loon 2 mi, MN/ON · Steep 2 mi · Eugene 3 mi · Beartrack 3 mi · Heritage 4 mi · Trout Lake 4 mi, ON · Gun 4 mi · Finger 4 mi · Lynx 5 mi · Little Hustler 5 mi · Trygg 5 mi
See how Little Loon stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best lake whitefish lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: St. Louis County fishing maps (429 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. 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.