Welcome to our Upper Red Lake Fishing Home Page
Upper Red Lake is known for its excellent walleye and northern pike fishery. Back in the mid-1990s, the walleye population was nearly crippled because of over harvesting. The Red Lake Nation control most of Upper Red Lake and Lower Red Lake and only tribal members are allowed to fish these areas that are controlled by Red Lake Nation. Commercial fishing took its toll and depleted a majority of the walleye on the lake.
The lake has recovered because of an extensive stocking program and new regulations. If you’re looking to catch fish, this lake delivers. The state-controlled section of the lake is popular among anglers and there are plenty of lodging options to accommodate you on our trip.
Primary Species of Fish
This lake is known for its tremendous walleye fishery. You can catch good numbers of them and some big fish are here too. Northern pike are here in good numbers also and some very big fish roam these waters. Pike up to and above 40 inches are reported here every year.
Secondary Species of Fish
This fishery has kind of been a boom or bust fishery for perch and crappie. There have been very good years for both species of fish and some very bad years and it may be like that in the future depending on the regulations that are in place for this body of water. Crappie fishing used to be very good, then it got really bad. There are still crappie in the lake and this lake has always been able to produce some big crappie. Depending on the year, you may experience some good fishing for crappie or perch or just one of the species of fish. Stay up to date with the local fishing reports and you’ll see how the lake is doing any given year.
Cover & Structure
This lake doesn’t really have it. You have to look at a contour map of this lake to understand it. You are basically fishing one huge flat that gradually goes from the shorelines to around 15 feet deep.
This is one of the easier lakes for many anglers to fish because they can just get out there and start fishing. You don’t have to worry about getting right on a hump or on the edge of a drop-off. Many anglers just start fishing. Use your electronics to help find baitfish and the schools of walleye, crappie and perch should be close by. Pike will be found picking off these baitfish too. In the spring and fall, fish will be shallower. In the summer, they will be deeper.
Upper Red Lake Fishing Regulations
