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2,741-acre lake near St Louis County. The lake tops out around 75 ft. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1938, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Loon maps at 2,741 acres behind 37.2 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 5.1, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 41% of this chart. The basin spans about 5.2 mi end to end and 4.3 mi across at its widest. It sits in St. Louis County. If the bite dies, Little Loon is 2 mi to the northeast.
Start shallow in spring: lake whitefish sit in 15 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 23 to 75 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 70 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 75 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 23 to 75 ft | dawn | Deep basin (75 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (5 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deepest basin (73 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Start shallow in spring: cisco (lake herring) sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 23 to 75 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 60 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 75 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (75 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 23 to 75 ft | dawn | Deep basin (75 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (73 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Spring walleye concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 5 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline point (17 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Shoreline point (17 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (75 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts sauger in skinny water — 4 to 18 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 45 ft. Spring sauger concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 5 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (5 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (17 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (66 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Deep basin (75 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Back-bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (75 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Back-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 bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Back-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 | Shoreline point (17 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Loon also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), burbot (23 to 75 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 13 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 75 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Loon specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Loon is about 75 ft (23 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1938, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, burbot on Loon.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 75 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 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.
Little Loon 2 mi, MN · Heritage 3 mi, MN · Upper Pauness 4 mi, MN · Lower Pauness 4 mi, MN · Fat 4 mi, MN · Shell 4 mi, MN · Lynx 4 mi, MN · Trout Lake 4 mi, ON · Steep 5 mi, MN · Little Hustler 5 mi, MN · Eugene 5 mi, MN · Beartrack 5 mi, MN
See how Loon stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best sauger lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: St. Louis County fishing maps (429 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.