Ruth Lake

Details

DNR lake ID

18021200

County

Crow Wing

Surface area

599 acres

Maximum depth

39 feet

Shallow water (littoral) area

200 acres, 33% of the lake

Shoreline

5.0 miles

Average water clarity

22.8 feet (Secchi disk, 3 readings)

Latest DNR fish survey

July 2022, targeted survey

Surveys on record

8, since 1988

Game fish caught in the 2022 survey

bluegill 1,700, largemouth bass 1,223, pumpkinseed 40, rock bass 16, northern pike 14, yellow perch 13, smallmouth bass 3, hybrid sunfish 2

Fish species recorded

black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow perch, and 13 other species

Stocked in 2025

walleye fingerlings (4,000)

Stocked in 2023

walleye fingerlings (5,000)

Stocked in 2021

walleye fingerlings (4,800)

Stocking years on record

5 of the last 10 (2017 to 2025)

Ruth Lake Public Water Access Site

trailer launch, concrete slab ramp, 1 dock, 12 trailer spaces, toilet, run by DNR Division of Parks and Trails

Infested waters list

Eurasian watermilfoil, zebra mussel

Fish consumption

Follow the statewide guidelines; fish from this lake have been tested

Size

500 to 1,999 acres

Deepest point

30 to 59 feet

Public access

Yes

Stocked in the last 3 years

Yes

Sources

• Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
  Checked September 24, 2026
• Minnesota DNR Public Water Access Sites
  Checked September 24, 2026

Survey catches show what DNR nets and electrofishing found on the survey date, not how the fishing is today. Check the current regulations and the Department of Health advice before you keep fish, and confirm access conditions before you tow a boat.