Birch Lake (Cass County)
Cass County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 11041200
DNR records show 12 stocking entries at Birch Lake (Cass County) since 2016, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2024 (168 fish).
- Birch Lake (Cass County) has 12 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2016-2024): walleye (12).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 62,636 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 45 ft, mean depth 10 ft; surface area 1,267 acres, 755 littoral acres, 15.3 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 12.9 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, and 2 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Cass County, nearest town Hackensack; DNR lake number (DOW) 11041200.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 7/2/1957 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | fingerlings | 168 | 42.0 |
| 2024 | Walleye | yearlings | 1,857 | 809.5 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fingerlings | 15,165 | 584.4 |
| 2022 | Walleye | yearlings | 850 | 170.0 |
| 2020 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 15,033 | 755.0 |
| 2018 | Walleye | adults | 4 | 4.0 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fingerlings | 6,875 | 759.8 |
| 2018 | Walleye | yearlings | 96 | 49.0 |
| 2016 | Walleye | yearlings | 19 | 10.0 |
| 2016 | Walleye | adults | 583 | 511.3 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fingerlings | 11,145 | 688.6 |
| 2016 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 10,841 | 481.7 |
2 fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.
Field note · Minnesota stocks by year, not by truck day: walleye fry go in within weeks of ice-out, fingerlings and yearlings mostly in fall, and stream trout in spring and fall. A row here means the fish went in during that year; DNR adds the year's rows after the fact, so the current year can look empty until winter.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | city | In the town of Hackensack. |
DNR fish survey, 2023
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 13.75 | 165 | 0.99 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 6.92 | 83 | 0.16 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 4.08 | 49 | 0.21 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard gill nets | 3.92 | 47 | 0.23 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard gill nets | 3.00 | 36 | 0.63 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 1.83 | 22 | 2.08 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard gill nets | 1.00 | 12 | 1.11 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard gill nets | 0.58 | 7 | 0.56 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 12.25 | 147 | 0.20 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 5.58 | 67 | 0.53 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 2.58 | 31 | 0.20 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 1.50 | 18 | 0.31 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 1.00 | 12 | 1.10 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 0.83 | 10 | 0.32 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard trap nets | 0.58 | 7 | 1.32 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 4 | 0.33 |
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.
Birch Lake is a 1,267-acre lake with 15 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 45 feet located in Hackensack, MN. A City of Hackensack) owned public access is located on the east shore. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Birch Lake is in Lake Class 25. Other area lakes in this class include Boy, Girl, Hand, Inguadona, Long, and Swift Lakes. Birch Lake possesses a highly developed shoreline. The lake is primarily managed for Northern Pike and Walleye and secondarily for Bluegill, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and Yellow Perch. Walleye abundance did not meet the long-range management for the first time since 2003. Walleye lengths ranged from 11 to 23 inches with a mean length of 19 inches. Northern Pike are abundant, exceeding the maximum management goal in every survey since 2003. Sampled pike ranged in length from 9 to 31 inches with a mean length of 17 inches. Black Crappie were abundant, and lengths ranged from 4 to 13 inches with a mean length of 7 inches. Bluegill abundance was similar to recent surveys but below management goals. Bluegill size exceeded management goals and fish up to 9 inches were sampled. Largemouth ranged in length from 9 to 16 inches with a mean length of 13 inches. Yellow Perch abundance fell to a historic low, well below management goals. Other fish sampled in Birch Lake included, Brown Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, White Sucker, and Yellow Bullhead. People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Currently, no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Birch Lake. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
All Minnesota stockings · every Minnesota lake with a page · state CSV · this lake on DNR LakeFinder
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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