7 miles east of Elbow Lake
Becker County, Minnesota · 47.1275° N, 95.3958° W
Directions to Bad Medicine Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
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Updated 15 Oct 2026, 4:18 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on Bad Medicine Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 19 stockings of Bad Medicine Lake in 10 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 16,000 rainbow trout yearlings. Species stocked: rainbow trout, walleye.
Latest: 2025: 16,000 rainbow trout yearlings.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries (LakeFinder stocking reports), fetched 15 Oct 2026. How we measure
Measured from Minnesota DNR contours. How we measure
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of Bad Medicine Lake was in July 2022: 9 gill nets and 12 trap nets caught 11 species.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 2001 4.5 · 2006 22 · 2012 3.8 · 2017 6.3 · 2022 9.7
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 2001 0.1 · 2006 0.7 · 2012 0.4 · 2017 1.1 · 2022 0.9
Walleye: 88 measured, 8 to 24 in, half 14 in or longer; average 1.4 lb, normal (normal 1.2–2.4 lb).
Northern pike: 45 measured, 14 to 35 in, half 22 in or longer; average 2.7 lb, normal (normal 1.5–2.7 lb).
Smallmouth bass: 35 measured, 9 to 19 in, half 14 in or longer; average 1.7 lb, normal (normal 0.7–1.9 lb).
Bluegill: 12 measured, 4 to 9 in, half 6 in or longer; average 0.25 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Yellow perch: 18 measured, 5 to 9 in, half 6 in or longer; average 0.13 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.2 lb).
Also caught: burbot, hybrid sunfish, rainbow trout, tullibee (cisco), white sucker.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 11 Jul 2022, via LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Normal range: DNR’s range for lakes of the same class (43 classes, grouped by water chemistry and shape). Each line has its own scale. How we measure
Measured water clarity averages about 21 ft: the Secchi depth across 4 readings, 2006–2022.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Bad Medicine Lake is 84 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 803 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Bad Medicine Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 19 stockings of it in 10 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 16,000 rainbow trout yearlings.
Minnesota DNR’s July 2022 standard survey caught 11 species, most often rock bass, walleye, northern pike and smallmouth bass.
About 73% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.