Overview
The largest muskie of the year are taken in late fall along steep sand/gravel dropoffs. Walleye lay adjacent to weeds most of the time. Nice size perch, crappie and bluegill.
Little Arbor Vitae 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
- Rock, Yellow, and White Bass: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Walleye, Saugers, and Hybrids: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: No minimum length limit, but only 1 fish over 14” is allowed and the daily bag limit is 3
- Panfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25
- Walleye: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
- Urban waters gamefish: This waterbody is not considered an urban water, Urban Waters Gamefish regulations do not apply.
- Shortnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- Sauger and hybrids: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
- Longnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- Hybrid, Striped, Yellow, and White Bass: See Rock, Yellow and White Bass.
- Flathead catfish: See Catfish.
- Crappies: See Panfish.
- Channel catfish: See Catfish.
- Bowfin: See Rough Fish.
- Bluegill: See Panfish.
- White perch: 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.
- 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
- Ruffe: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Paddlefish: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Smallmouth bass: May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025: Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only)
- Largemouth bass: May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025: The minimum length limit is 14” 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
- Northern pike: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5
- Muskellunge and hybrids: May 24, 2025 to December 31, 2025: The minimum length limit is 40” and the daily bag limit is 1
- Lake sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Cisco and whitefish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Catfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Bullheads: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
Features
Forage
Seasonal Movements
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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.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 Arbor Vitae 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.Little Arbor Vitae 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.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 48 |
Little Arbor Vitae 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 Arbor Vitae 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) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2021 | 18 |
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2017 | 18 |
Little Arbor Vitae 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.
