Bryant Lake

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

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 27006700

DNR records show 10 stocking entries at Bryant Lake since 2016, most recently tiger muskellunge fingerlings in 2025 (128 fish).

• Bryant Lake has 10 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2016-2025): walleye (6), tiger muskellunge (4).
• The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 5,842 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 45 ft; surface area 180 acres, 64 littoral acres, 3.4 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 6.1 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, tiger muskellunge, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch.
• 1 public access on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: August 21, 2023 (targeted survey).
• Hennepin County, nearest town Eden Prairie; DNR lake number (DOW) 27006700.

Depth map

Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 8/13/1959 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.

Stocking history

² fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.

Public accesses

DNR fish survey, 2023

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 of nearshore fish species in Bryant Lake was conducted on August 21-22, 2023, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at ten sampling stations, but two stations were sampled from the boat due soft sediments and steep drop offs. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample six stations, a 15-foot seine was used at two stations. Nearshore sampling captured six species of fish including one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish) and no species classified as intolerant of disturbance. A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured five species of fish. Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number and biomass. The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2022 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Least Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website. Results from this survey indicate that the fish community in Bryant Lake is adversely impacted by watershed and/or shoreline stressors as indicated by an FIBI score that is below the impairment threshold determined for similar lakes. These results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Lower Minnesota River Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, August 21, 2023.

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