Round Lake Fishing Guide

Brainerd lakes area has so many quality lakes to choose from, sometimes it is difficult to decide which one to fish. You can’t go wrong with Round lake. Todd Andrist is your go to Round lake fishing guide. We can arrange to meet at the lake access, or pick up at your hotel, resort, or dock.

Round Lake Fishing Guide Data

Courtesy of Mn DNR

Round Lake is a 1,644 acre lake located just south of Nisswa in Crow Wing County. The lake reaches depths of 51 feet, with 38% of the lake less than 15 feet deep. Water clarity is good with a secchi disk reading of 12 feet. Although the lake is heavily developed, there are still large beds of emergent vegetation (primarily bulrush). Protection of aquatic vegetation, especially emergent vegetation, is important for maintaining good water quality. Aquatic vegetation is also critical for fish spawning areas as well as providing cover for fish.

Round Lake is stocked annually with walleye fry. The 2013 gillnet catch of 7.3 walleyes/gillnet was average compared to similar lakes. Past survey have had catch rate from 2.9/gillnet (2004) up to 14.1/gillnet (1991). Average size was 13.4 inches and 1.1 lbs, with walleyes up to 26.3 inches captured. Two year old fish (2011 year class) made up 50% of the catch. These fish were between nine and eleven inches during the July survey.

Round Lake has a 30-inch minimum size limit on northern pike which was established in 2003. The northern pike gillnet catch of 13.3/gillnet was above average, and the highest to date. Average size was 24.0 inches and 3.2 lbs. Fish at least 24 inches long accounted for 40% of the catch, and 10% were 30 inches or greater. Northern pike up to 37.4 inches were captured.

Largemouth bass were sampled by a spring electrofishing survey at a rate of 59.4/ hr. run-time. Average length was 12.6 inches. Black crappies were caught in low numbers in both gillnets and trapnets. For both gears combined, 71% of the black crappies were at least 8 inches in length.

Bluegills were caught in average numbers at 12.3/trapnet. Average length was 5.1 inches, and 21% were seven inches or greater. Yellow perch were also caught in average numbers at 29.7/ gillnet. Most of the perch caught were too small to be of interest to anglers at an average length of 6.9 inches. However there were a few larger individuals caught with the biggest measuring 9.8 inches. Yellow perch are an important prey species, especially for walleyes and northern pike.

Round Lake is designated as AIS (aquatic invasive species) infested waters because of zebra mussels. Lake users should inspect and remove any aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and trailers as well as pull the plug and drain all water from the watercraft, including bilges, livewells and baitwells.