Overview
Little John Lake Map
Fishing Regulations
Special Fishing regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence. Regulations listed below are currently in place. Visit the fishing regulations page for links to upcoming regulations for specific lakes.
Special Waterbody Regulations
- Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with 1 hook, bait, or lure per angler, and 3 hooks, baits, or lures maximum per boat.
Special Species Regulations
- Ruffe: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Panfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25
- Walleye, Saugers, and Hybrids: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: The minimum length is 15”, but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20” to 24” may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24” is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3
- Bullheads: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Catfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Cisco and whitefish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Lake sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Sauger and hybrids: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
- Shortnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- Muskellunge and hybrids: May 24, 2025 to December 31, 2025: The minimum length limit is 40” and the daily bag limit is 1
- Northern pike: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5
- Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: June 21, 2025 to March 1, 2026: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5
- Largemouth bass: May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5
- Smallmouth bass: May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025: Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only)
- Paddlefish: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Rock, Yellow, and White Bass: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Rough fish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Round goby: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Trout and salmon: See Trout regulations layer.
- White perch: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Bluegill: See Panfish.
- Bowfin: See Rough Fish.
- Channel catfish: See Catfish.
- Crappies: See Panfish.
- Flathead catfish: See Catfish.
- Hybrid, Striped, Yellow, and White Bass: See Rock, Yellow and White Bass.
- Longnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- Urban waters gamefish: This waterbody is not considered an urban water, Urban Waters Gamefish regulations do not apply.
- Walleye: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
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Fish Species
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 9 |
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Little John Lake Largemouth bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 21 |
Little John Lake Muskellunge abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Little John Lake Northern pike abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Little John Lake Smallmouth bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 19 |
| 2018 | 18 |
Little John Lake Tiger muskellunge abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Little John Lake Walleye abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 30 |
