Crooked Lake (Itasca County)
Itasca County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 31019300
DNR records show 1 stocking entry at Crooked Lake (Itasca County) since 2016, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2016 (2,080 fish).
- Crooked Lake (Itasca County) has 1 DNR stocking record across 1 year (2016-2016): walleye (1).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 2,080 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 60 ft; surface area 465 acres, 104 littoral acres, 8.9 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 6.0 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, silver redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, and 2 more.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Itasca County, nearest town Marble; DNR lake number (DOW) 31019300.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 1/1/1953 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 2,080 | 104.0 |
2 fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.
Field note · Minnesota stocks by year, not by truck day: walleye fry go in within weeks of ice-out, fingerlings and yearlings mostly in fall, and stream trout in spring and fall. A row here means the fish went in during that year; DNR adds the year's rows after the fact, so the current year can look empty until winter.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | DOT | A state owned public access is located on the northwest shore of the lake along Co. Rd. 56. |
| gravel ramp | county | A county owned public access is located on the northeast shore of the lake along Co. Rd. 8. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 9.33 | 84 | 0.12 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 3.89 | 35 | 0.31 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.67 | 6 | 1.89 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.44 | 4 | 0.95 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 3 | 1.14 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 0.08 |
| Silver redhorse | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 3.75 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 0.69 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 5.44 | 49 | 0.29 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 5.33 | 48 | 0.10 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 2.22 | 20 | 2.54 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 0.89 | 8 | 0.07 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 0.78 | 7 | 1.83 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 0.56 | 5 | 1.54 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard gill nets | 0.22 | 2 | 1.07 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard gill nets | 0.11 | 1 | 1.15 |
Catch per net (CPUE) is the DNR survey's count per gill net or trap net set; higher means more of that species were sampled, not a fishing forecast. Top species per gear shown; where we have no verified common name for a DNR code, the code itself is shown.
Crooked Lake is about 8 miles north of Marble and covers 418 acres. About a quarter of the lake is shallow water where vegetation can grow, and the deepest spot is 60 feet. Water clarity in 2025 was about 4.5 feet, which falls in the middle of what has been observed in past surveys. The Prairie River flows through the northwest corner. Anglers have two public accesses: a state access on the northwest shore off County Road 336 and a county access on the southeast basin off County Road 8. Northern pike are one of the main species managed in this lake. In the most recent survey, pike numbers were a little lower than the lake average, but the fish that were present tend to have decent size. Pike measured between 13 and 34 inches, averaging about 22 inches. About a third of the fish were in the North-central Zone protected 22-26 inch slot, and a small number were over 28 inches. Growth was about average, with pike reaching around 21 inches by age 4. Overall, anglers can expect a chance at quality-sized fish, just not high numbers. Walleye numbers remain on the low side, which has been typical for this lake. The latest catch rate was below both the lake average and management goal. Walleye numbers have been below expectations in most surveys. Fish sampled ranged from 11 to 24 inches, averaging 16 inches. Growth was average, with fish reaching about 15 inches by age 4. Walleye natural reproduction has been well documented, and past stockings has not consistently boosted numbers. Anglers should not expect fast action, but there are some keeper-sized fish available. Black crappie numbers were strong in the latest survey, higher than both the lake average and the previous survey. Most crappies measured between 4 and 11 inches, averaging about 7.5 inches. Fish over 10 inches are uncommon. Crappies show steady year classes, and growth catches up to average by about age 5. Anglers can expect decent numbers, though most fish will be under 10 inches. Bluegill catches were moderate and similar to past surveys. However, most fish are small. Bluegills ranged from 3 to just over 8 inches, averaging about 5 inches. Few fish exceeded 8 inches. Growth is a bit slower than average, with Bluegills taking about 6 years to reach 6 inches. Expect steady action but limited size. Yellow perch numbers continue to run below average. Most perch were between 5 and 8 inches, averaging about 6 inches, and size quality is low. These fish are generally small and may not draw much angler interest. Tullibee (cisco) have declined over the long term, and only one fish was caught in the latest…
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
All Minnesota stockings · every Minnesota lake with a page · state CSV · this lake on DNR LakeFinder
Stocking rows, depths, accesses and survey figures are Minnesota DNR LakeFinder data as of 2026-09-02; contours are the DNR bathymetric survey. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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