Belle Lake

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

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 47004901

DNR records show 1 stocking entry at Belle Lake since 2018, most recently walleye fry in 2018 (466,360 fish).

• Belle Lake has 1 DNR stocking record across 1 year (2018-2018): walleye (1).
• The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 466,360 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 25 ft, mean depth 16 ft; surface area 864 acres, 383 littoral acres, 5.5 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 5.8 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, and 4 more.
• 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: September 22, 2025 (targeted survey).
• Meeker County, nearest town Hutchinson; DNR lake number (DOW) 47004901.

Depth map

Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 11/4/1975 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.

Stocking history

Public accesses

DNR fish survey, 2025

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.

A targeted survey (fall nighttime electrofishing) was conducted on Belle Lake on September 22nd, 2025, to evaluate young of the year (YOY) and yearling Walleye abundance. A total of 27 YOY were sampled for a catch rate of 27.0 fish/hr., which was below the lake's historical (1993 to 2025) median (52.2 fish/hr.). This indicated that a substantial YOY year class was present. In 2025, the average length for YOY was 6.9 inches, which was above Belle's historical average (6.2 inches). Walleye fry were not stocked in 2025, so those fish resulted from natural reproduction. In 2025, a total of 16 yearlings were sampled for a catch rate of 16.0 fish/hr., which was equal to Belle's historical (2017 to 2025) yearling median (16.0 fish/hr.) and indicated that a substantial year class was present. The average length for the yearlings was 11.1 inches and was below Belle's historical average (11.6 inches). Due to the significant natural reproduction of Walleye at Belle, the lake will only be stocked with Walleye fry if two consecutive fall electrofishing catch rates drop below 20 YOY/hr. Belle Lake is electrofished annually.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, September 22, 2025.

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