We summarized lake survey information in the tables below to show our catch rates – one measure of fish abundances – of four popular sportfish species in local lakes.
Information is from lakes having public access and a DNR fisheries survey no older than 2008. When using these data, anglers should be aware that:
- Unlisted lakes might currently have fishable populations of a species but our survey data is outdated.
- High catch rates can reflect less-desirable size structures (high proportions of small fish).
For more detailed information on a particular lake's fish populations, check LakeFinder or recent local fish surveys. Fish abundances in Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN) lakes and ponds are not included but detailed information for such waters in Hennepin, Carver and Scott counties can be found by clicking on the appropriate county link.
Bluegill values are from trap net sampling results, while walleye and northern pike values are from gill net sampling results. Black crappie values are the larger number from either net type. Catch rates are expressed as the average number of fish per net.
Bluegill and black crappie numbers do not include related species, such as bluegill relatives pumpkinseed and sunfish hybrids or black crappie relative white crappie. Anglers seeking those fish types might want to review LakeFinder data to see if related fishes boost abundances of the primarily sought species.
Largemouth bass are best sampled by boat electrofishing. We have not been able to do this sampling as frequently and intensively as net sampling so lack enough data to provide useful catch comparisons for this species.
Walleye
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| Fish per net | Lake [Alt. Name] (County) |
|---|---|
| 6 or more | Oak: Spring |
| 4-5.9 | Eagle (Hennepin); Fish (Scott); Independence; Nokomis; O'Dowd; Spring; Waconia |
| 1-3.9 | Bde Maka Ska [Calhoun]; Bryant; Cedar (Hennepin); Cedar (Scott); Eagle (Carver); Fish (Hennepin); Half Moon; Harriet; Hyland; Lake of the Isles; Lower Prior; Long; Lotus; McMahon (Carls); Medicine; Minnetonka; Parley; Riley; Sarah; Susan; Upper Prior |
| 0.1-0.9 | Bush; Harriet; Minnewashta; Twin; Virginia |
Northern pike
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| Fish per net | Lakes [Alt. Name] (County) |
|---|---|
| 15 or more | Bde Maka Ska [Calhoun]; Bush; Lake of the Isles; Mitchell; Lucy; Parkers; Riley; Zumbra |
| 10-14.9 | Ann; Eagle (Hennepin); Hydes; McMahon [Carls]; Medicine; Minnetonka; Minnewashta; Parley; Sarah; Starring [Staring]; Susan |
| 6-9.9 | Auburn; Christmas; Fish (Hennepin); Half Moon; Harriet; Pierson [Piersons]; Reitz; Snelling; Spurzem [Spurzen]; Steiger [Stieger]; Wasserman; Weaver; Whaletail |
| 0.1-5.9 | Bavaria; Bryant; Cedar (Hennepin); Dutch; Eagle (Carver); Fish (Scott); Independence; Little Long; Long; Lotus; Lower Prior; Nokomis; Oak; O'Dowd; Quarry; Red Rock; Spring; Upper Prior; Thole; Twin; Virginia; Waconia; Wirth; Zumbra |
Black Crappie
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| Fish per net | Lake [Alt. Name] (County) |
|---|---|
| 30 or more | Cedar (Hennepin); Cedar (Scott); Eagle (Carver); Hyland; Independence; Oak; Reitz; Spring; Swede; Wasserman |
| 20-29.9 | Starring [Staring]; Dutch |
| 10-19.9 | Bryant; Christmas; Eagle (Hennepin); Fish (Scott); Half Moon; Long; Lotus; McMahon [Carls]; Minnewashta; Murphy; Sarah; Upper Prior; Twin; Weaver; Whaletail |
| 0.1-9.9 | Ann; Auburn; Bavaria; Bde Maka Ska [Calhoun]; Bush; Cleary; Fish (Hennepin); Harriet; Hydes; Hyland; Lake of the Isles; Lotus; Lower Prior; Lucy; Medicine; Minnetonka; Medicine; Mitchell; Little Long; O'Dowd; Parkers; Parley; Pierson [Piersons]; Rebecca; Red Rock; Riley; Round; Snelling; Spurzem [Spurzen]; Steiger [Stieger]; Susan; Thole; Virginia; Waconia; Wirth; Zumbra |
Bluegill
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| Fish per net | Lakes [Alt. Name] (County) |
|---|---|
| 75 or more | Cedar (Scott); Hyland; McMahon [Carls]; Minnetonka: North and West Bays; Murphy; Round; Steiger [Stieger]; Virginia; Waconia; Zumbra |
| 51-74.9 | Bavaria; Bde Maka Ska [Calhoun]; Cedar (Hennepin); Fish (Hennepin); Harriet; Lake of the Isles; Little Long; Parley; Riley; Twin; Wasserman; Weaver; Wirth |
| 26-50.9 | Ann; Auburn; Bde Maka Ska [Calhoun]; Christmas; Cleary; Dutch; Eagle (Hennepin); Fish (Scott); Independence; Lucy; Minnetonka; Minnewashta; Nokomis; Oak; O'Dowd; Parkers; Rebecca; Sarah; Starring [Staring]; Weaver |
| 0.1-25.9 | Bryant; Bush; Cedar (Hennepin); Half Moon; Hydes; Long; Lotus; Lower Prior; Medicine; Mitchell; Pierson [Piersons]; Quarry; Reitz; Red Rock; Snelling; Spring; Spurzem [Spurzen]; Susan; Swede; Thole; Upper Prior; Whaletail |
Updated Mon, Mar. 07, 2022 to include all 2019 survey results