World's Largest Walleye

The walleye is a large, golden-flecked freshwater fish named for its glassy, light-gathering eyes, which let it hunt well in low light and stirred-up water. It is prized both as a sport fish, cagey and rewarding to catch, and as one of the best-eating fish in fresh water, and it holds such a place in the state's heart that it was named the official state fish of Minnesota.

Fishing for walleye is woven deep into Minnesota life, from the opening-day rituals of spring to the ice-fishing houses that dot the frozen lakes in winter. The giant walleye at Garrison honors that culture, standing as a monument to a fish that draws anglers from across the country and anchors the economy of many a lakeside town.

Mille Lacs Lake is one of the biggest lakes entirely inside Minnesota, a broad, shallow, wind-swept water that warms and feeds a huge population of fish. For generations it has been one of the most famous walleye lakes in the country, drawing anglers to its resorts, launches, and ice-fishing camps, and the town of Garrison grew up as a gateway to those waters.

The lake's fishery is carefully managed, with seasons and rules that shift to protect the walleye population, a reflection of how important and how closely watched this water is. The giant walleye statue on the Garrison shore is the perfect ambassador for a lake whose fame rests on the very fish it depicts, standing guard over the water that made the town.

Mille Lacs Lake lies at the heart of the homeland of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, the Anishinaabe, who have lived on and fished these waters for generations and whose community remains a strong presence on the lake today. The lake and its fish have sustained the Ojibwe here through the fur-trade era, the treaty period, and into the present, and Ojibwe fishing rights on Mille Lacs are protected by long-standing treaties.

The name Mille Lacs, French for a thousand lakes, comes from the era of French fur traders, while the wider land carries the Dakota name Mni Sota Makoce, from which the state takes its name. The northern lake country has a shared Dakota and Ojibwe history, and the walleye that the statue celebrates has been central to the peoples of this lake far longer than any statue or sport-fishing tradition.

Garrison is a small shore town with resorts, launches, and lake overlooks, an easy base for a day on Mille Lacs or a stop on a drive through the Brainerd Lakes region. The giant walleye sits along the shore highway, an inviting place to pull over, take a photo, and gaze out over the big lake beyond.

The seasons rule life on Mille Lacs. Spring opens the fishing season with great fanfare, summer fills the shore with anglers and vacationers, and fall brings quiet days and turning color around the lake. Winter transforms it entirely, as ice-fishing villages spring up on the frozen surface, a spectacle unto themselves and a reminder that on this lake, the fishing never really stops.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The World's Largest Walleye is a giant statue of a walleye, Minnesota's beloved state fish, in the lakeside town of Garrison on the shore of Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota. The oversized fish celebrates the region's world-class walleye fishing, as Mille Lacs is one of the premier walleye lakes in the country, and Garrison proudly displays the giant statue as a tribute to the fish that draws anglers from far and wide. A cheerful piece of roadside Americana, the giant walleye makes a fun photo stop. With its giant walleye honoring the state fish, the World's Largest Walleye offers a delightful roadside destination in Garrison, Minnesota.

There is a giant walleye in Garrison because the town sits on the shore of Mille Lacs Lake, one of the premier walleye fishing lakes in the country, and the walleye is Minnesota's beloved state fish and the heart of the local fishing economy and identity, so the community erected the giant statue to celebrate that heritage and draw travelers. The oversized fish honors the anglers and the lake that make the area famous for walleye. This fishing pride is why the giant walleye watches over Garrison and Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota.

You can view and photograph the giant walleye statue, enjoy the cheerful lakeside roadside landmark, take in views of Mille Lacs Lake, and use it as a fun stop while exploring the lake and its famous fishing, resorts, and towns. The giant fish is the whole delight, especially for anglers and lovers of quirky Americana, and the lakeside setting adds to the appeal. With its giant walleye and Mille Lacs Lake setting, the World's Largest Walleye offers a fun roadside stop in Garrison, central Minnesota.

As an outdoor roadside statue on the shore of Mille Lacs Lake, the World's Largest Walleye can be visited and photographed year-round in any season, though the warmer months from late spring through fall offer the most comfortable weather for lingering and enjoying the lakeside setting, pairing well with the lake's summer fishing and vacation season. Winter visits are fine but cold, though the area buzzes with ice fishing then. For the most pleasant weather, aim for the warmer months, though the World's Largest Walleye makes a fun stop any time in Garrison, Minnesota.

The World's Largest Walleye is in the town of Garrison on the shore of Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota, within reach of the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, Paul Bunyan Land and the Brainerd lakes area, and the central Minnesota lakes country. That makes the World's Largest Walleye a fun roadside stop to combine with Mille Lacs Lake, the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, and the other attractions of central Minnesota's lakes country on a visit to the state.