Bello Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 31072600
Bello Lake has no DNR stocking rows in LakeFinder; this page carries its DNR depth, access and survey data.
- Bello Lake shows no stocking records in Minnesota DNR LakeFinder as of .
- Maximum depth 58 ft; surface area 527 acres, 251 littoral acres, 8.4 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 12.1 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), yellow bullhead, yellow perch.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Itasca County, nearest town Marcell; DNR lake number (DOW) 31072600.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey; depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| earthen ramp | Minnesota DNR | This is a state owned access with an earthen ramp on the east side of narrows between lake basins. |
DNR fish survey, 2016
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass | Standard electrofishing | 93.24 | 126 | 1.36 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 14.33 | 129 | 0.17 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 3.00 | 27 | 0.27 |
| Bowfin (dogfish) | Standard trap nets | 1.56 | 14 | 3.76 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 1.22 | 11 | 0.36 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 0.89 | 8 | 0.30 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.78 | 7 | 1.82 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.44 | 4 | 0.50 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 0.44 | 4 | 0.37 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 6.38 | 51 | 0.14 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 5.62 | 45 | 2.55 |
| Tullibee (cisco) | Standard gill nets | 3.50 | 28 | 0.69 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 2.88 | 23 | 0.34 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard gill nets | 1.12 | 9 | 1.35 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard gill nets | 0.50 | 4 | 0.77 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 0.50 | 4 | 0.08 |
| Bowfin (dogfish) | Standard gill nets | 0.38 | 3 | 4.01 |
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.
Bello Lake is located about 5 miles north of Marcell, MN, and within the Chippewa National Forest. The 493 acre lake has 251 littoral acres, a maximum depth of 58 feet with no connectivity. There is an earthen DNR administered access on the east shore between the north and south basin. The lake management plan was last updated in 2008. Largemouth Bass and Black Crappie are primary management species while Bluegill are considered secondary management species. The 2016 survey is one of seven conducted since 1973, assessing the fish community. Electrofishing sampled Largemouth Bass at a rate nearly double the previous assessment. The 2016 catch rate surpassed the antiquated 2008 management goal which was likely based on the initial electrofishing survey. Size structure was quality with lengths ranging from 5.1 to 19.4 inches with an average length of 13.2 inches, similar to the previous survey. Scale analysis identified ages 2-10 present. Growth was slow early, but similar to the statewide average by age 3. Largemouth Bass averaged 15.1 inches by age 7. Black Crappie were sampled at a rate above what was expected for lakes similar to Bello and the previous assessment. The trap net catch rate was within the expected range and similar to the 2007 assessment. The 2016 trap net catch rate was similar to the lake management goals. Size structure was favorable. Lengths ranged from 4.7 to 11.0 inches and an average length of 8.7 inches, similar to the previous assessment. Scale analysis identified ages 1, 3-7. The sample size was too small to evaluate recruitment, but age 5 represented 44% of the sample. Similar to the previous assessment, growth was slow and below the statewide averages. Black Crappie averaged eight inches by age 5. Bluegill were sampled at a rate within the typical range and above the previous assessment. A modest size structure was observed with lengths from 3.4 to 8.4 inches and an average length of 5.8 inches. Scale analysis identified ages 2-10 present with most ages represented indicating relatively consistent recruitment. Growth was similar to the lake class averages for all ages. Bluegill averaged almost seven inches by age 8. Northern Pike were the second most numerous species sampled in gill nets at a predictable rate but lower than the previous survey. Size structure was favorable with some quality individuals present. Lengths ranged from 15.0 to 36.7 inches and an average length of 22.2 inches. Scale and bone analysis identified eight age classes, with individuals up to age 9 present. Growth was similar to the statewide average for…
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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Stocking rows, depths, accesses and survey figures are Minnesota DNR LakeFinder data as of 2026-09-02; contours are the DNR bathymetric survey. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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