Bad Medicine fishing

Bad Medicine fishing is stocked with Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Northern Pike on a natural lake. It is stocked about 2.5 times a year since 2022, most often in January. Species guides list dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass, dawn, dusk, and night for Walleye, and dawn, day, and dusk for Northern Pike.

Illustration, not a photo of this lake
Last stocked
January 1, 2025
637 days ago · Rainbow Trout
Plants on record
10
Since 2022
Species recorded
2

Fish at Bad Medicine

2 stocked · 3 confirmed present

Walleye Stocked · 6 plants · last January 1, 2024 Best: dawn, dusk, night

Last stocked January 1, 2024 · 6 plants

Best: dawn, dusk, night

Walleye species guide
Rainbow Trout Stocked · 4 plants · last January 1, 2025 Best: dawn, dusk

Last stocked January 1, 2025 · 4 plants

Best: dawn, dusk

Rainbow Trout species guide
Largemouth Bass Confirmed present Best: dawn, dusk

Best: dawn, dusk

Listed in the DNR LakeFinder fish-community record for this lake; not present in the stocking feed for this lake. (maps.dnr.state.mn.us, accessed September 29, 2026)

Largemouth Bass species guide
Smallmouth Bass Confirmed present Best: dawn, dusk

Best: dawn, dusk

Listed in the DNR LakeFinder fish-community record for this lake; not present in the stocking feed for this lake. (maps.dnr.state.mn.us, accessed September 29, 2026)

Smallmouth Bass species guide
Northern Pike Confirmed present Best: dawn, day, dusk

Best: dawn, day, dusk

Listed in the DNR LakeFinder fish-community record for this lake; not present in the stocking feed for this lake. (maps.dnr.state.mn.us, accessed September 29, 2026)

Northern Pike species guide

How Bad Medicine is stocked

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The first plant of the year usually falls in the first week of January. In 2025 it was January 1, 2025, about when it usually is.

Fish stocked in 2022

38,322

Fish stocked in 2023

16,000

Fish stocked in 2024

20,774

Fish stocked in 2025

16,000

Stocking history

Showing 5 of 10 plants Showing 10 plants

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
January 1, 2025 Rainbow Trout 16,000 – report
January 1, 2024 Walleye 228 – report
January 1, 2024 Walleye 1,119 – report
January 1, 2024 Walleye 2,610 – report
January 1, 2024 Walleye 817 – report
January 1, 2024 Rainbow Trout 16,000 – report
January 1, 2023 Rainbow Trout 16,000 – report
January 1, 2022 Walleye 21,600 – report
January 1, 2022 Walleye 722 – report
January 1, 2022 Rainbow Trout 16,000 – report
Show all 10 plants + Show less

Access and facts

Water type
natural lake
Nearest town
Ponsford, MN
Boat ramp
Yes

MN DNR LakeFinder survey access records list open public boat access on Bad Medicine (DOW 03008500): Open boat ramp at the north end of the lake off MN 113. Nearest town on the DNR record is Ponsford.

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Nearest lakes

Long Lost 4.9 mi last stocked January 1, 2025 Elbow 6.8 mi last stocked January 1, 2025 Many Point 7.4 mi last stocked January 1, 2025 Little Bemidji 8.4 mi last stocked January 1, 2025 Elk 9.5 mi last stocked January 1, 2025

Common questions

What fish are at Bad Medicine?

Fishing Bad Medicine usually means Walleye: Walleye accounts for 6 of 10 plants on record, ahead of Rainbow Trout. Walleye was last stocked January 1, 2024. Rainbow Trout was last stocked January 1, 2025. Largemouth Bass (Listed in the DNR LakeFinder fish-community record for this lake; not present in the stocking feed for this lake), Smallmouth Bass (Listed in the DNR LakeFinder fish-community record for this lake; not present in the stocking feed for this lake), and Northern Pike (Listed in the DNR LakeFinder fish-community record for this lake; not present in the stocking feed for this lake) are recorded here outside the stocking reports.

When is Bad Medicine stocked?

Last stocked January 1, 2025. It is stocked about 2.5 times a year since 2022, most often in January. The first plant of the year usually falls in the first week of January. In 2025 it was January 1, 2025, about when it usually is.

How do you get on Bad Medicine?

There is a boat ramp. The nearest town is Ponsford, MN. MN DNR LakeFinder survey access records list open public boat access on Bad Medicine (DOW 03008500): Open boat ramp at the north end of the lake off MN 113. Nearest town on the DNR record is Ponsford.

Sources (2) +