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292-acre lake near Big Stone County. The lake tops out around 13 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 292 acres of water rimmed by 3.7 miles of bank. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. End to end it runs roughly 1.1 mi, about 0.8 mi across. The water lies in Big Stone County. The nearest mapped water is Lone Tree Slough, 2 mi to the northeast.
Spring walleye on North Rothwell hold shallow, usually 3 to 13 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 4 to 13 ft in summer, 4 to 13 ft once it turns cold. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 6 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
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 | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 13 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 13 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring black bullhead on North Rothwell hold shallow, usually 2 to 9 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 13 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 13 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 11 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
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 | 2 to 9 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 20 ft | dusk | Deep basin (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 28 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 11 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 North Rothwell specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
North Rothwell is about 13 ft (4 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 walleye, yellow perch, black bullhead on North Rothwell.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. 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 North Rothwell 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.
Lone Tree Slough 2 mi · Lannon 3 mi · East Toqua 4 mi · Barry 8 mi · Big Stone Lake 11 mi, MN/SD · Otrey 12 mi · Long Tom 14 mi · Long 17 mi · Hattie 18 mi · Artichoke 18 mi · Traverse 19 mi, MN/SD · Farley Lake 22 mi, SD
See how North Rothwell stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Big Stone County fishing maps (11 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.