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609-acre lake near Meeker County. The lake tops out around 15 ft. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Ripley (west portion) runs 609 acres with 4 miles of edge. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. End to end it runs roughly 1.2 mi, about 1.2 mi across. The water lies in Meeker County. For a second option, Youngstrom lies 2 mi southwest.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 5 to 15 ft, winter 5 to 15 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 9 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 15 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 9 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 9 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 15 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Lake Ripley Fishing Pier (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Ripley (west portion) also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Ripley (west portion) carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 15 ft down.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Ripley (west portion) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Ripley (west portion) is about 15 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Ripley (west portion).
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Ripley (west portion) 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.
Youngstrom 2 mi · Round 3 mi · Star 4 mi · Minnie-Belle 5 mi · Hope 6 mi · Manuella 6 mi · Richardson 6 mi · Long 6 mi · Dunns 6 mi · Stella 6 mi · Willie 7 mi · Greenleaf 7 mi
See how Ripley (west portion) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Meeker County fishing maps (33 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.