Bad Medicine Lake

Becker County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 03008500

DNR records show 19 stocking entries at Bad Medicine Lake since 2016, most recently rainbow trout yearlings in 2025 (16,000 fish).

• Bad Medicine Lake has 19 DNR stocking records across 10 years (2016-2025): rainbow trout (10), walleye (9).
• The most-stocked species by count is rainbow trout: 160,000 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 84 ft; surface area 803 acres, 288 littoral acres, 12.8 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 21.1 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, burbot, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, rainbow trout, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, and 1 more.
• 1 public access on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: July 11, 2022 (standard survey).
• Becker County, nearest town Ponsford; DNR lake number (DOW) 03008500.

Depth map

Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 8/5/1971 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.

Stocking history

⁶ fish cooperatively purchased, raised, and/or stocked by White Earth Nation.

Public accesses

DNR fish survey, 2022

Catch per net (CPUE) is the DNR survey's count per gill net or trap net set; higher means more of that species were sampled, not a fishing forecast. Top species per gear shown; where we have no verified common name for a DNR code, the code itself is shown.

Bad Medicine is a four mile long, narrow, 800-acre, 84 foot deep, clear water lake located in northeastern Becker County and within the White Earth Indian Reservation. The lake has steep, primarily rocky, slopes near shore. Although the lake lies within the Mississippi River drainage, it has no outlet and is primarily groundwater fed. Historical water clarity records from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency indicate the average water clarity is 25 feet at Bad Medicine Lake. A state-owned public access is located on the north shore off MN 113. Approximately 16,000 Rainbow Trout are stocked annually and Walleye fingerlings are stocked biennially in even years. A standard survey was done on Bad Medicine Lake in mid-July 2022 to assess the fish community. Walleyes sampled during the 2022 survey ranged from 8.0 to 24.5 inches, with an average size 15.5 inches. Walleye gill net catch rates were above average for this lake and also higher than lakes of similar biological conditions. Fish over 15 inches represented 51% of the fish sampled. There is some natural reproduction of Walleye, but stronger year classes are presented in years of fingerling stockings. Northern Pike abundance remains low in Bad Medicine Lake. The average length of Northern Pike sampled during the 2022 survey was 22.6 inches, while Northern Pike up to 35.5 inches were sampled. Gill nets sampled 31 Rainbow Trout during the 2022 survey, which was close to the lake's historical average. Lengths ranged from 11.7 to 15.5 inches, with an average length of 13.3 inches. Smallmouth Bass remain abundant in Bad Medicine Lake, as the 2022 assessment documented the highest catch rate (3.7 per gill net) on record for this species. Average length of Smallmouth Bass sampled was 14.1 inches and fish up to 19.1 inches were sampled. Rock Bass also are abundant, with an average length of 7.8 inches. Yellow Perch numbers continue to be low with their average length being 6.8 inches. Bluegill catches remain very low in surveys as Bad Medicine Lake lacks spawning habitat for Bluegill. Other species sampled in this assessment include Burbot, Tullibee (Cisco) and White Sucker. Although sampled in low numbers in previous surveys, Black Crappie and Largemouth Bass were not found in 2022 survey.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, July 11, 2022.

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