Birch Villa Resort
Cass Lake
Call for current rates
Cass Lake covers about 16,000 acres in the Chippewa National Forest, with the Mississippi River flowing through it. The town of Cass Lake sits on US 2 between the main lake and Pike Bay to the south. To the west the river links Cass to Andrusia, Wolf and Kitchi, the lakes of the Cass Chain toward Bemidji.
Walleye, perch and muskie are the main fish. The Forest Service runs several campgrounds on the east shore around Norway Beach, and most of the resorts sit on the west side of the chain.
I. The lodges
Where to stay
Pick the Cass Chain for resorts with boats and cabins, Norway Beach for Forest Service camping, or town and Pike Bay to be near US 2.
10 places to stay
West shore & the Cass Chain
Most of the resorts: the west shore of Cass and the chain lakes Andrusia, Wolf and Kitchi toward Bemidji. Bemidji-based guides fish this end.
Bliss Point Resort
Pennington
From $50 / night · unknown
Cass Lake Lodge
Cass Lake
From $1,270–$6,260 / week · 2027
Joe's Lodge
Bemidji
From $188–$1,107 / night · 2026
Kitchi Landing Resort
Blackduck
From $152–$280 / night · 2026
Little Wolf Resort
Cass Lake
Call for current rates
Oak Haven Resort and Campground
Bemidji
Call for current rates
Sah-Kah-Tay Beach Resort
Cass Lake
From $118–$484 / night · 2026
Shangri-La Resort
Cass Lake
From $30 (nightly and weekly rates) · unknown
View Point Resort
Cass Lake
Call for current rates
10 places to stay
East shore: Norway Beach & Knutson Dam
The Forest Service campgrounds at Norway Beach, Chippewa, Wanaki and Knutson Dam, plus resorts on Allen's Bay and the north-east shore.
Allen's Bay Lodge & Grille and Sunset Cove Resort
Cass Lake
From $200–$400 / night · 2026
Bimijiwan Recreation Area (Knutson Dam) Campground
Cass Lake
From $16 / night · 2025
Break On The Lake Resort
Cass Lake
Call for current rates
Cass Lake Loop walk-in tent sites (Chippewa National Forest)
Cass Lake
From $14 / night · 2025
Chippewa Loop (Chippewa National Forest)
Cass Lake
From $26 / night · 2025
Chippewa Pines Resort
Pennington
Call for current rates
Horseshoe Resort on Cass Lake
Cass Lake
Call for current rates
Norway Beach Loop (Chippewa National Forest)
Cass Lake
From $21 / night · 2025
Norway Beach Resort
Cass Lake
From $315–$345 / night · 2027
Wanaki Loop (Chippewa National Forest)
Cass Lake
From $21 / night · 2025
4 places to stay
Cass Lake town & Pike Bay
Motels and resorts in the town of Cass Lake on US 2, and Pike Bay to the south with the Forest Service's South Pike Bay campground.
Cedar Lakes Casino & Hotel
Cass Lake
Call for current rates
Ojibway Resort on Pike Bay
Cass Lake
Call for current rates
South Pike Bay Campground (Chippewa National Forest)
Cass Lake
From $16 / night · 2025
Whispering Pines Motel
Cass Lake
Call for current rates
II. On the water
What a guided day costs
| Boat | Full day | Typical | Half day | Typical | Operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | $500–$600 | $600 | $450 | $450 | 3 |
"Typical" is the median of published rates. Most operators don't put a year on their rates.
Independent guides
Lodges that run their own guides are listed with the lodges above.
| Guide | Full day | Half day | Boat | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bro's Guide Service (Brian "Bro" Brosdahl)Max | $600 | $450 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, perch, smallmouth bass |
| Cass Lake Area Guide ServiceCass Lake (base not published) | $600 | $450 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, northern pike, muskie, bass, panfish, perch |
| Chad's Guide ServiceBemidji | $350 | $250 | walleye, northern pike, perch, crappie, bluegill, rainbow trout | |
| First City Guide Service (Chaz Dobias)Bemidji | Call | – | ||
| Hooked Up LLC (Capt. Nicholas Griffith)Walker (Leech Lake base); trips on Cass and Lake Bemidji | $500 | – | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, perch |
| Northern Walleye Adventures (Mike Hirt)Bemidji | Call | – | walleye, bass, muskie, perch, trout, panfish | |
| Steve Nosbisch Fishing Guide ServiceCass Lake (per directory; base unconfirmed) | Call | – | ||
| Zup's Guide Service, LLCMapleton (mailing address; no fixed base published) | Call | – | walleye, northern pike, perch, crappie, smallmouth bass, sturgeon |
III. Hard water
Ice fishing: day houses and sleepers
Ice outfitters are few on Cass. Sah-Kah-Tay publishes 2026 wheelhouse rates, and Zup's runs day-house packages here as on Winnie.
| Outfitter | Day house | Sleeper | How you get out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allen's Bay Lodge & Grille and Sunset Cove ResortCass Lake | Yes | – | |
| Birch Villa ResortCass Lake | Yes | – | |
| Cass Lake LodgeCass Lake | Yes | – | |
| Chad's Guide ServiceBemidji | – | Yes | |
| Northern Walleye Adventures (Mike Hirt)Bemidji | Yes | – | |
| Sah-Kah-Tay Beach ResortCass Lake | Wheelhouses $125-$185/day, 2026 (no nights, no sleepers) | – | |
| Shangri-La ResortCass Lake | Winter rate $30/person/night (cabin); houses not priced | – | |
| Zup's Guide Service, LLCMapleton (mailing address; no fixed base published) | $125/person/day, 2-person, 2-day minimum (Day House Package) | $175/person/night Premium (2-person, 2-night min); $250/person/night Platinum (2-person, 3-night min); Trophy mobile guided package $600/day (2-4 people) | Guest meets guide each morning and is led to the house; locations move with the bite. Vehicle type not stated. |
IV. The almanac
Seasons at a glance
- May 9, 2026Walleye, sauger and pike seasons open.
- May 23Bass harvest opens.
- June 6 – November 30Muskie season (1 fish, 54-inch minimum).
- February 28, 2027Walleye, sauger, pike and bass seasons close.
- March 15, 2027Every fish house must be off the ice by midnight.
Fishing dates are from the DNR's 2026 regulations.
V. Field notes
The island and the limit
- Star Island, in the middle of Cass Lake, holds Lake Windigo, a lake on an island in a lake.
- Cass and Winnibigoshish are the only two of Minnesota's ten largest lakes still at the statewide walleye limit of 6.
- In January 2026 the DNR formally proposed cutting the statewide walleye limit from 6 to 4. More than 50 hearing requests sent it to an administrative law judge. If it is adopted, the DNR expects it to take effect March 1, 2027.
VI. Regulations
Fishing rules
2026–27 season (May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027)
- Covers the Cass Chain: Cass, Pike Bay, Andrusia, Wolf, Kitchi, Big and Little Rice, Buck, Windigo, Ose, the Mississippi between them, Fox Creek, Turtle River and Pug Hole.
- Walleye and sauger season: May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027. 6 combined, only one walleye over 20 inches (statewide limit).
- Sunfish: 5 a day (Cass Chain special limit). Crappie 10. Perch 20 a day and 40 in possession.
- Northern pike (North-central Zone): May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027. 10 in possession, not more than 2 over 26 inches; release every pike from 22 through 26 inches.
- Largemouth bass: catch-and-release only from March 1 to May 22, then 6 combined bass from May 23, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
- Muskie: June 6 – November 30, 1 fish, 54-inch minimum.
- Fish houses must be off the ice by midnight on March 15, 2027.
From the DNR's 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (inland seasons, North-central pike zone, and the Cass Chain special regulation). Rules change each March; check before you fish.
VII. Asked at the dock
Questions people ask
How much does a fishing guide cost on Cass Lake & Pike Bay?
A guide boat for 1–2 anglers runs $500–$600 for a full day. Rates are per boat, not per person, and usually include bait and gas.
What's the walleye limit on Cass Lake?
The statewide limit: 6 walleye and sauger combined, only one walleye over 20 inches (2026–27). A proposal to cut it to 4 statewide could take effect March 1, 2027 if adopted.
What does a fishing guide cost on Cass Lake?
Published rates for two anglers run $500–$600 for an 8-hour day and $450 for a half day. None of the guides date their rates, so confirm when you book.
Where can you camp on Cass Lake?
The Forest Service runs Norway Beach, Chippewa, Wanaki and the Cass Lake walk-in loop on the east shore, Knutson Dam (Bimijiwan) at the outlet, and South Pike Bay. The 2025 fees were $14–$26 a night.
Sources and photo credits
Photos: Sunset on Pike Bay, Minnesota, GCicecream531, CC BY 4.0; Photograph of East Beach of Star Island, Minnesota, as Seen from Star Cottage - NARA - 2129604, U.S. Forest Service (National Archives, historic photograph), Public domain; CNF KnutsonDam AFTER P508516 (28151395973), U.S. Forest Service, Eastern Region, Public domain; South Pike Bay, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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