Ruth Lake Fishing Tips
Ruth Lake offers anglers good opportunities to catch bass, northern pike, crappie, and bluegill within the Brainerd Lakes area.
Anglers looking to improve their success can book a trip with The Fish Guyd Guide Service, which guides anglers on many of the top fishing lakes around the Brainerd region.
Resorts Nearby
Ruth Lake Resort
Manhattan Beach Lodge
Pine Peaks Lodge & Suites
Nearby Lakes
Rabbit Lake
Pelican Lake
Mission Lake
Cross Lake
Whitefish Lake
Edward Lake
Serpent LAKE
Roosevelt Lake
Species We Target
Walleye
Northern Pike
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Panfish
Ruth Lake Fishery Summary
Ruth Lake is a clear-water lake located in Crow Wing County within the Brainerd Lakes region of central Minnesota. The lake covers approximately 599 acres and contains about 200 acres of littoral habitat, providing good spawning and feeding areas for several popular gamefish species.
Ruth Lake reaches a maximum depth of 39 feet, and water clarity is excellent, often measuring over 22 feet. This high water clarity allows sunlight to penetrate deeper into the lake, supporting healthy aquatic vegetation and providing good habitat for fish.
Although the lake does receive periodic walleye stocking, the fishery is generally known more for largemouth bass, northern pike, crappie, and bluegill fishing. Ruth Lake has also become known as a solid panfish lake with opportunities to catch quality bluegills and crappies.
Ruth Lake Survery Information
Walleye
Walleye fingerlings are stocked into Ruth Lake every other year, although overall numbers remain relatively low.
Because of these lower population levels, walleye fishing can be inconsistent compared to nearby lakes.
Northern Pike
Northern pike numbers are high for this type of lake.
Catch rate: 17.8 per gill net
Average length: 20.5 inches
19% of fish were within the protected 22–26 inch slot
21% were larger than 26 inches
Largest sampled fish: 34.4 inches
These numbers provide anglers with good opportunities to catch both numbers of pike and occasional larger fish.
Largemouth Bass
Largemouth bass fishing in Ruth Lake is considered very good.
Electrofishing catch rate: 71.5 fish per hour
Average length: 14.5 inches
80% of bass were 12 inches or larger
Largest sampled fish: 18.7 inches
Bluegill
Bluegill populations show strong potential for anglers.
Catch rate: 65.6 per trap net
Average size: 6.5 inches
43% measured 7 inches or larger
This provides consistent opportunities for anglers targeting keeper-size panfish.
Black Crappie
Black crappies were sampled in average numbers.
Catch rate: 0.9 per trap net
75% of fish measured 8 inches or larger
Largest sampled fish: 12.1 inches
Ruth Lake Fishing Tips
Spring Fishing
(Water Temps: 38–55°F)
Spring fishing begins shortly after ice-out when fish move into shallow water to spawn and feed.
Best Spring Areas
Shallow bays warming quickly in the sun
Shorelines with emerging vegetation
Bulrush beds and lily pad areas
Wind-blown points
Spring Techniques
Jigging with minnows along shallow breaks
Slip bobber fishing for crappies and bluegills
Casting spinnerbaits or soft plastics for bass
Recommended Lures
1/8–1/4 oz jigs with fathead minnows
Small tube jigs
Slip bobbers with minnows or leeches
Spinnerbaits for bass
Trophy Largemouth Bass
on Ruth Lake
Summer Fishing
(Water Temps: 60–75°F)
During summer, fish often hold along weed edges and deeper structure.
Best Summer Areas
Weedlines in 10–15 feet
Mid-lake structure
Deep edges of vegetation beds
Points and drop-offs
Summer Techniques
Live bait rigging along breaklines
Casting plastics or frogs for bass in vegetation
Jigging small plastics for panfish
Recommended Lures
Lindy rigs with crawlers or leeches
Texas-rigged plastics
Ned rigs or drop-shot rigs
Small panfish jigs
Bass fishing can be particularly strong throughout the summer.
Eater Walleyes
on Roosevelt lake
Fall Fishing
(Water Temps: 40–60°F)
Fall can provide excellent fishing as predator fish begin feeding aggressively before winter.
Best Fall Areas
Rock points and breaklines
Remaining weed beds
Basin edges holding baitfish
Fall Techniques
Jigging large minnows along breaklines
Casting crankbaits along rocky shorelines
Slow presentations near deeper structure
Recommended Lures
Jig and minnow combinations
Blade baits
Deep diving crankbaits
Suspending jerkbaits
Client with
Big Walleye
Winter Fishing (Ice Fishing)
Ruth Lake provides winter opportunities for panfish and northern pike.
Best Winter Areas
Basin edges near deeper water
Suspended crappies over deeper basins
Weedlines in 10–15 feet
Winter Techniques
Jigging tungsten jigs tipped with waxworms
Deadstick rods with live minnows
Tip-ups along weed edges for northern pike
Recommended Ice Lures
Tungsten jigs
Jigging spoons
Small soft plastics
Tip-ups with sucker minnows
Big Largemouth Bass
Trophy Ruth Lake area Fish
We cover a large area in Central Minnesota, if you have any questions about a certain lake or a certain species of fish don’t hesitate to call. We are very accommodating and can come up with a plan to make any sort of trip work. If you need multiple boats we are also able to get more guides to handle larger group trips! Our goal is to make your fishing trip easy, comfortable, and full of fish catching excitement!