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40-acre lake near Pope County. The lake tops out around 14 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 40 acres of water rimmed by 1.4 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. The basin spans about 0.5 mi end to end and 0.2 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Pope County. The nearest mapped water is Nelson, 4 mi to the east.
Spring walleye on Signalness hold shallow, usually 4 to 14 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 4 to 14 ft in summer, 4 to 14 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).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (12 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 14 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 14 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.
| 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 14 ft | dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 14 ft, wintering in 4 to 14 ft. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Signalness also holds pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Signalness; the deepest is Deep basin at about 12 ft.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024* | Walleye (fingerlings) | 356 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Signalness specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Signalness is about 14 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, northern pike, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Signalness.
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. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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.
Yes — per Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports records, Signalness was most recently stocked 2024 with 356 walleye (fingerlings). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Signalness 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.
Nelson 4 mi · Hoff 5 mi · Benson 6 mi · Emily 6 mi · Lake Minnewaska 6 mi · Pelican 8 mi · Linka 8 mi · Strandness 9 mi · Gilchrist 9 mi · Malmedal 9 mi · Scandinavian 10 mi · Hassel 11 mi
See how Signalness stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Pope County fishing maps (22 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or 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.