Little Jessie Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 31078400
DNR records show 6 stocking entries at Little Jessie Lake since 2017, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2025 (391 fish).
- Little Jessie Lake has 6 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2017-2025): walleye (6).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 40,632 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 50 ft; surface area 628 acres, 206 littoral acres, 4.8 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 11.0 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, and 1 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Itasca County, nearest town Deer River; DNR lake number (DOW) 31078400.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey; depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 391 | 23.0 |
| 2025 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 4,026 | 183.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 4,429 | 206.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 6,180 | 412.0 |
| 2019 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 13,246 | 411.4 |
| 2017 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 12,360 | 412.0 |
1 fish purchased and stocked by private citizens and sporting groups. 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 | USF | U.S. Forest Service access on the northwest shore. |
DNR fish survey, 2019
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (cisco) | Standard gill nets | 15.58 | 187 | 0.38 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 6.33 | 76 | 1.93 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 3.33 | 40 | 0.19 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 1.67 | 20 | 2.86 |
| Rock bass | Standard gill nets | 1.67 | 20 | 0.60 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 1.33 | 16 | 2.29 |
| Smallmouth bass | Standard gill nets | 0.42 | 5 | 3.13 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard gill nets | 0.25 | 3 | 0.07 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 3.17 | 38 | 0.15 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 2.08 | 25 | 0.11 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 1.83 | 22 | 0.11 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 1.42 | 17 | 0.25 |
| Bowfin (dogfish) | Standard trap nets | 0.67 | 8 | 5.88 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 0.42 | 5 | 0.47 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 0.25 | 3 | 0.50 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.08 | 1 | 1.12 |
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.
Little Jessie is managed for Walleye through a biennial fingerling stocking schedule in odd years. Walleye are a primary management species with a goal of maintaining catches at the high end of similar lakes capability. Northern Pike are a primary management species as well but with a more attainable goal of catches near the lake type average. Smallmouth Bass and Bluegill are secondary management species. The management plan had a goal of a Yellow Perch catch at the middle of the expected range. This was one of nine surveys conducted to assess the fish population and Walleye stocking. It appears Walleye stocking has contributed to a catch within the expected range for lakes in the same class as Little Jessie and similar to the previous survey. The ambitious management goal was not attained and likely reflects the difficulty in regularly attaining above average catches. Size structure was favorable and similar to previous surveys. The distribution of ages suggests a strong relationship with stocking. It looks as if good angling opportunities exist. The Northern Pike catch was the lowest observed though catches have typically been at the low end of the range. Low density usually corresponds to favorable size structure; however, this was not the case. About a third of the fish caught were within the north central protected slot length (22" to 26") and none exceeded 30 inches, comparable to previous surveys. Quality angling opportunities appear limited and anglers are encouraged to release larger fish. A few Smallmouth Bass have been caught in most surveys, including a notable size structure as well. The five gill net sampled fish averaged 17 inches. Anglers willing to put in time would likely be rewarded with quality size fish. Bluegill were sampled at a rate just below the expected range and considerably lower than the previous survey. Size structure was poor and comparable to previous surveys, though a few fish over eight inches have been sampled. Moderate angling opportunities exist but prospects for larger individuals is likely limited. Catches for Yellow Perch have typically been near average, except 2019, which was well below the expected range. The low density of predators suggests other factors limiting perch numbers. Fish over nine inches have occasionally been caught which suggests a slight fishery exists. Other species sampled included Bowfin, Hybrid Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Rock Bass, Tullibee/Cisco, White Sucker and Yellow Bullhead.
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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