Fishing the Whitefish Chain: A Lake-by-Lake Overview

The Whitefish Chain offers an unusual range of fishing in one connected system. Deep, cold lakes sit beside shallow, warm ones, and each supports a different mix of fish. Here is a general overview, lake by lake, to help you know what each one is known for.

A note before you cast

Fishing seasons, limits, size rules, licensing and special regulations are set by the Minnesota DNR and can change. Some lakes may have special rules. Always check the current Minnesota fishing regulations and any lake-specific rules before you go. This article describes the character of each lake, not the rules.

The lake facts below come from Minnesota DNR survey data as presented in our lake guides.

The walleye engine: Upper Whitefish

Upper Whitefish is the headwaters of the chain, where the Pine River flows in. It covers 3,434 acres with a maximum depth of 90 feet and average summer clarity around 12.5 feet. It is known as the walleye engine of the system, and for many anglers it is the heart of fishing on the chain.

Big open water means wind matters. A breezy day can be good for fishing and hard on small boats, so plan accordingly.

Deep, cold and big: Big Trout, Island and Bertha

Big Trout stands apart. At 1,366 acres and 128 feet deep, with clarity around 13.2 feet, it is the only natural lake in Crow Wing County stocked with lake trout. That makes it a special place for anglers who enjoy deep, cold water fishing.

Island Lake is also a coldwater lake, at 176 acres and 76 feet deep, with clarity around 16.8 feet. The DNR surveys its fish together with Loon Lake as Island-Loon. Loon is the smallest lake on the chain, about 50 acres and 30 feet deep, with no public launch.

Big fish: Bertha

Bertha is a smaller lake at 337 acres, with a maximum depth of 64 feet and clarity around 15.6 feet. It sits between Whitefish and Clamshell and is known for big fish. Its size makes it approachable, and its reputation keeps anglers coming back.

Panfish and pike: the shallower lakes

Arrowhead

Arrowhead is warm and weedy, with a maximum depth of just 13 feet. The entire lake is 15 feet deep or less, and clarity is around 6.5 feet. It is known for big crappie. Shallow, weedy water calls for slow, careful boating.

Little Pine

Little Pine is the easternmost lake on the chain, at 330 acres and 36 feet deep, with 61 percent of the lake 15 feet deep or less. It is known for panfish. You can reach it from Daggett, which sits off Cross Lake.

Clamshell

Clamshell covers 211 acres with a maximum depth of 44 feet and clarity around 15.8 feet. It has a public launch and a channel to Bertha, and it is known for pike and bluegill.

The big lakes, and good habits on every lake

Lower Whitefish, at 4,288 acres and 138 feet, is the largest and deepest lake on the chain and the hub of the system. Cross Lake, at the dam, covers 1,815 acres, with 47 percent of the lake 15 feet deep or less. Rush-Hen, Lower Hay, Daggett and Pig each add their own mix of depth, structure and character.

Because the lakes are connected, an angler can move from deep, clear water to shallow, weedy bays in a single outing. That variety is one of the chain's great strengths.

Good habits on the water

• Check current DNR regulations and carry your license.
• Give other anglers room, and slow down near them.
• Handle fish you release gently and return them quickly.
• Dispose of line, hooks and bait properly. Do not release live bait into the lake.
• Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear whenever you move between waters, and follow DNR invasive species rules.

Fishing and choosing a lake

For buyers, fishing is often what tips the decision toward one lake over another. Someone drawn to lake trout will look at Big Trout differently than someone who loves an evening of panfish on a quiet, shallow lake. That is why I encourage people to choose the lake first, then the home. If that is where you are, the buyers page explains how I help.

Talk it over with David

I live on the south bay of Crosslake and know how much the fishing shapes life on each lake. Whether you are looking for your own place on the water or wondering what your home is worth, I am glad to talk.

Begin a private valuation · Call/Text 218.513.2677

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