Upper Prior Lake

Air

39°F

Wind

5 mph E

Sky

Mostly Sunny

Pressure

30.33 inHgRising (+1 hPa in 3 h)

National Weather Service hourly forecast; pressure from station KFCM at 7:35 AM CT.

Upper Prior Lake covers 386 acres and is 50 ft at its deepest. These are the sport fish DNR surveys found here, and what each typically does in October in Minnesota lakes.

• WalleyeFall walleye feed heavily on rocky points and breaklines; dusk and after dark are often best.
• Northern pikeFall pike feed heavily along the last green weeds and drop-offs.
• Largemouth bassBass gather near the remaining green weeds and drop-offs and feed before winter.
• CrappieFall crappies school tightly in deeper basins and feed actively.
• BluegillFall bluegill move toward deeper weed edges and feed actively.
• Yellow perchFall perch school on deep flats and feed heavily.

The DNR lists special fishing regulations for Upper Prior Lake; check them on its LakeFinder page before you go.

Season notes: Minnesota statewide inland seasons from the DNR's 2026–27 fishing regulations. Check current regulations.

Species found in Minnesota DNR fish surveys of Upper Prior Lake in the last 10 years or its latest survey (June 23, 2025).

• WalleyeSpawns over gravel and rock in the shallows soon after ice-out, peaking in 42–50°F water; in summer it holds deeper and feeds in the shallows at dawn and dusk.
• Northern pikeSpawns in flooded, weedy shallows right after ice-out and keeps feeding in cold water, so it bites from spring through ice season.
• Largemouth bassNests in shallow, firm-bottomed bays in late spring and spends summer in and along the weedbeds.
• Black crappieSpawns in May and June in shallow water in the mid-60s °F; schools roam open water and feed most at night, dawn and dusk.
• White crappieSpawns like the black crappie, in May and June in mid-60s °F shallows, but prefers warmer, murkier water.
• BluegillNests in colonies in firm-bottomed shallows from late May through much of summer, in 67–80°F water; bigger fish feed in open water.
• PumpkinseedNests in colonies from May well into summer, often beside bluegill, and feeds heavily on snails.
• Yellow perchSpawns in early spring, draping egg ribbons over weeds and brush, and bites eagerly on worms all year, including through the ice.

Also found

• Black bullhead
• Brown bullhead
• Common carp
• Green sunfish
• Hybrid sunfish
• White bass
• White sucker
• Yellow bullhead