Bronson Lake
Kittson County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 35000300
DNR records show 5 stocking entries at Bronson Lake since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2022 (223,000 fish).
- Bronson Lake has 5 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2016-2022): walleye (5).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 1,215,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 29 ft, mean depth 12 ft; surface area 312 acres, 221 littoral acres, 9.2 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 3.9 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white sucker, and 1 more.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Kittson County, nearest town Lake Bronson; DNR lake number (DOW) 35000300.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey; depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 223,000 | 2.0 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 250,000 | 2.0 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 221,000 | 1.9 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 221,000 | 1.9 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 300,000 | 2.6 |
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 | Minnesota DNR | - Double concrete slab with landing dock and large parking area. |
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | - Small dock, concrete and gravel ramp, probably best as canoe access. |
DNR fish survey, 2022
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black bullhead | Standard gill nets | 63.44 | 571 | 0.22 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 26.89 | 242 | 0.17 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 11.11 | 100 | 2.49 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 10.33 | 93 | 0.03 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 5.89 | 53 | 2.08 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 4.78 | 43 | 1.80 |
| Shorthead redhorse | Standard gill nets | 2.67 | 24 | 1.69 |
| Rock bass | Standard gill nets | 2.33 | 21 | 0.36 |
| Black crappie | Standard electrofishing | 13.39 | 50 | 0.17 |
| Northern pike | Standard electrofishing | 5.36 | 20 | 1.66 |
| Walleye | Standard electrofishing | 2.68 | 10 | 0.82 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard electrofishing | 0.80 | 3 | 1.81 |
| White sucker | Standard trap nets | 3.56 | 32 | 2.82 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 2.22 | 20 | 1.34 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 1.22 | 11 | 0.11 |
| Black bullhead | Standard trap nets | 1.00 | 9 | 0.32 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.56 | 5 | 1.06 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 3 | 0.12 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 3.42 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 0.07 |
| Yellow perch | Survey seining | 0.33 | 1 | 0.09 |
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.
Lake Bronson, in Kittson County, is a 335-acre reservoir located approximately 1.5 miles southwest of the city of Lake Bronson in northwestern Minnesota. Lake Bronson is part of the Two Rivers watershed, and was created in 1936 by damming the South Branch of the Two Rivers. Lake Bronson is located within Lake Bronson State Park and is the only fishing lake in Kittson County. There is a concrete boat ramp, canoe access, and two fishing piers available within the state park. Walleye is the primary species of management interest for Lake Bronson and have been stocked regularly since 1945. A population assessment in 2022 indicates a healthy population of Walleye inhabits Lake Bronson with a range of ages and sizes present. The Walleye gill net catch rate of 4.78 fish per net was down slightly from 2019 and better than average for lakes similar to Lake Bronson. Walleyes sampled from nine age-classes ranged in age from 1 to 14 years old. The average Walleye sampled in 2022 was approximately 15 inches long and weighed just under two pounds. The largest Walleye sampled in 2022 was just over 24 inches long. The variety of sizes and good catch rates indicate a healthy population that will provide anglers opportunities to catch numbers and quality size Walleyes. The Black Crappie trap net catch rate was 2.22 fish per net in 2022 which is up from 2016 and 2019 and is about a fish per net less than average for lakes similar to Lake Bronson. Average length of Black Crappie was slightly under 12 inches with the largest individual being approximately 15 inches. Four year old crappies from the 2018 year class dominate the fishable population and are of excellent size for anglers to target right now. Additionally, a very strong 2021 year class appears to be coming, which would only serve to enhance the Black Crappie fishery at Lake Bronson in the near future. Northern Pike gillnet catch rate is up slightly from 2019 and is on the high end of normal for similar lakes. Catch rates in 2019 were 5.9 fish per net, with an average length of approximately 20 inches. This is down slightly from recent surveys, although catch rates of protected slot fish and fish above the slot were similar to previous years. The largest Northern Pike sampled was just over 30 inches long. Yellow Perch gillnet catch rate was 27 fish per net, which is a decrease from 2019. Average Yellow Perch length was approximately seven and a half inches and ranged from four to eleven inches. Approximately 44% of the Yellow Perch sampled in gillnets were eight inches or greater which is within the normal ranger…
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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