Daggett Lake Fishing Guide
A mid-depth lake between Cross Lake and Little Pine, where the DNR's nets turned up plenty of northern pike and a solid mix of bass, walleye and panfish.
Daggett Lake sits on the east side of the Whitefish Chain, off Cross Lake and on the way to Little Pine. It covers 258 acres, reaches 23 feet at its deepest, and has 7.52 miles of winding shoreline. About 53 percent of the lake is 15 feet or shallower. That combination of points, bays and modest depth gives Daggett more structure per acre than its size suggests.
Here is what the Minnesota DNR's survey work shows, and how to put it to use through the year.
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What the DNR survey shows
The DNR's lake number for Daggett is 18-0271-00. Its posted fish survey summary, compared against similar lakes, reads like this:
- Northern pike: high numbers, at 19.5 per gill net, averaging 20.5 inches, with 13 percent at 24 inches or longer.
- Walleye: average numbers, 1.3 per gill net, with an average length of 21.9 inches.
- Bluegill: average numbers, 22.4 per trap net, averaging 5.6 inches, with 29 percent at 7 inches or longer.
- Yellow perch: average numbers, 8.5 per gill net, averaging 5.8 inches.
- Largemouth bass: average in gill nets, and sampled by electrofishing in Daggett as part of bass work across the chain.
- Smallmouth bass: five were sampled, nearly all longer than 17 inches.
- Black crappie: low numbers, averaging just under 8 inches.
The DNR does not stock walleye directly into Daggett. Walleye are stocked into the Whitefish Chain, as fry each year and as fingerlings every other year, and fish move into Daggett from the connected lakes.
Other species recorded include rock bass, pumpkinseed, bowfin, bullheads, cisco, lake whitefish and redhorse, along with several minnows and darters.
Pike on Daggett fall under the DNR's north-central pike zone regulation, which took effect in 2018 and protects a slot of mid-size fish. Rules change, so check the current DNR fishing regulations before you keep anything.
Habitat: weeds, sand and open water
The DNR surveyed Daggett's plants in 2009 and again in 2010. Coontail was the most common plant in the 2009 survey, followed by curly-leaf pondweed and northern watermilfoil. Plants grew as deep as 18 to 20 feet, but plant frequency in the shore-to-20-foot zone was the lowest on the chain in the 2010 work. Sand bottom was common in the windswept open areas.
Curly-leaf pondweed is non-native and grows early in the season, then dies back in early summer. Eurasian watermilfoil was not found in the 2009 survey. Daggett is also listed as infested with zebra mussels, so clean, drain and dry your boat every time.
Seasonal patterns
Spring
Pike are the early story. Look to shallow bays and weedy flats after ice-out. As the water warms, bluegill and bass move toward the shallows.
Summer
Fish the deep weed edges, which on Daggett can reach the high teens in depth, along with points and the transitions between sand and soft bottom. Walleye fishing tends to be best in low light.
Fall
As plants die back, pike and bass gather on the remaining green weeds. Larger pike move with the cooling water. Boat traffic falls off on the whole chain.
Winter
Ice anglers target pike on tip-ups over weed flats and perch and bluegill along the edges. Confirm ice conditions locally, especially near the connections to other lakes.
Access and launch
Fishing references used for this guide do not list a public boat launch on Daggett itself. Most visiting anglers reach it by boat from Cross Lake, which has public access, including at the Corps of Engineers' Crosslake Recreation Area. Check the DNR LakeFinder for current access information. Busy summer weekends on the chain can make early mornings the better time to fish.
Questions
What is Daggett Lake best known for?
Northern pike. The DNR's survey found pike in high numbers compared with similar lakes, along with average numbers of walleye, bluegill, perch and largemouth bass.
Is Daggett Lake stocked with walleye?
Not directly. The DNR stocks walleye into the Whitefish Chain, and fish move into Daggett from the connected lakes.
Does Daggett Lake have invasive species?
Yes. It is listed as infested with zebra mussels, and curly-leaf pondweed was present in DNR plant surveys. Eurasian watermilfoil was not found in the 2009 survey.
More on Daggett: Daggett Lake guide, living on Daggett, a year on Daggett, and all Whitefish Chain lakes.
Want to talk Daggett, or any lake on the chain? Call or text 218.513.2677 or email david@whitefishpropertyfinder.com. You can also start on the buyer page.
Sources: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder; Minnesota DNR, Aquatic Vegetation Survey of Little Pine and Daggett Lakes (2009); Minnesota DNR, Sensitive Lakeshore Survey, Whitefish Chain of Lakes; DNR fish survey summary as reproduced by Lake-Link.