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31-acre lake near St. Louis County. The lake tops out around 47 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Drawn out, this is 31 acres of water rimmed by 1.4 miles of bank. Index 1.8 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 57% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.5 mi with a 0.2-mi widest point. You'll find it in St. Louis County. The nearest mapped water is Side, 1 mi to the south.
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 20 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for brook trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: splake in 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 14 to 47 ft before dropping to 10 to 45 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for splake in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a trolled spoon at the thermocline or a white tube jig (deep) 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 | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Small casting spoon (gold/orange), Inline spinner |
| Summer | 14 to 47 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Trolled spoon at the thermocline, White tube jig (deep) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 10 to 45 ft | dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head, Small white tube |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 30 ft, wintering in 8 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 21 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 21 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (21 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| 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 |
Count 4 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 40 ft.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Splake (yearlings) | 358 | — |
| 2024* | Rainbow Trout (yearlings) | 917 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports, retrieved 2026-09-11.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Pickerel specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Pickerel is about 47 ft (14 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 brook trout, splake, rainbow trout, walleye, northern pike on Pickerel.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for splake in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For brook trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. 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, Pickerel was most recently stocked 2025 with 358 splake (yearlings). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Pickerel 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.
Side 1 mi · Sturgeon 1 mi · Perch 2 mi · Little Sturgeon 2 mi · Middle Sturgeon 2 mi · Beatrice 2 mi · West Sturgeon 3 mi · South Sturgeon 4 mi · Shannon 5 mi · Shoe Pack 6 mi · Island 6 mi · Stingy 7 mi
See how Pickerel stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best rainbow trout lakes in Minnesota · best brook trout 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.