See every public fishing venue in Minnesota on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Bench Lake is a public lake in Cook County, Minnesota, managed by Minnesota DNR (public waters). The shoreline and water are open to the public. Public access confirmed via MN DNR public water.
A designated stream-trout lake — stocked rainbow, brown, brook trout and sometimes splake. A trout stamp is required.
Bench Lake covers about 26 acres in the Arrowhead region. Anglers here mostly fish for rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, splake; northern pike, largemouth bass, yellow perch are also on record. The nearest other mapped waters on PiscaMaps are Table Lake and Crystal Lake.
Species from MN DNR LakeFinder and fishery survey data.
Night fishing: No general night-fishing closure in Minnesota. Some designated trout lakes and streams close overnight or have a shortened season, and a few border waters have their own hours — check the current MN DNR regulations for this water.
Boats: Boats and motors are allowed on public waters; some lakes carry no-wake or horsepower limits. AIS law is enforced statewide — drain water, remove plants/mussels, and dry or decontaminate before leaving the access.
Bank & bivvy camping: Camp at state parks, state forest campgrounds, WMAs and DNR rustic campsites; the Boundary Waters needs a BWCA permit. Dispersed shoreline camping outside designated sites is generally not allowed.
Tackle: This is a designated Minnesota trout water. A trout stamp is required, and special season, gear and limit rules apply — check the MN DNR trout regulations for this water.
Rules verified 2026-09-02 against MN DNR regulations. Always confirm the current rules before you fish.
Camping: 5 sites mapped nearby — Crystal Lake #1, Pine Lake #1, Crystal Lake #2, Pierz Lake #3, Pierz Lake #2.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors.
Anyone 16 or older needs a Minnesota fishing licence. Non-resident annual is about $52; a 72-hour non-resident licence is about $40 and a 24-hour about $14. A trout stamp (about $10) is required to fish trout waters. Buy online at the MN DNR. Every angler 16+ needs a Minnesota fishing licence; a trout stamp is required to fish or possess trout on most trout waters. AIS rules apply — drain, clean and dry before leaving any access.
Every water carries species, bank & boat access, current regulations and live water conditions — and members get Swim Mapper, Catch Logger and Trip Planner. It's the only US map with a dedicated carp-water layer.
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