Bullhead Lake

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

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 04002800

DNR records show 32 stocking entries at Bullhead Lake since 2016, most recently black crappie adults in 2025 (30 fish).

• Bullhead Lake has 32 DNR stocking records across 9 years (2016-2025): bluegill sunfish (11), pumpkinseed sunfish (8), black crappie (7), largemouth bass (5), and 1 more species.
• The most-stocked species by count is bluegill sunfish: 14,505 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 17 ft; surface area 36 acres, 35 littoral acres, 2.1 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch.
• 1 public access on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: June 10, 2024 (standard survey).
• Beltrami County, nearest town Kelliher; DNR lake number (DOW) 04002800.

Depth map

Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey; depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.

Stocking history

¹ fish purchased and stocked by private citizens and sporting groups.

Public accesses

DNR fish survey, 2024

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.

Bullhead Lake is a small lake of about 36 acres with a maximum depth of 17 feet located on the eastern edge of the Kelliher city limits in east-central Beltrami County. The lake is managed by Bemidji Area Fisheries as a kid's fishing pond and is stocked annually with mixed adult panfish and a few Largemouth Bass. The city of Kelliher maintains a fishing pier that is located at the access. The lake winterkills frequently, but occasional mild winters and the city's operation of an aeration system have allowed stocked fish to survive periodically. As a result, quality angling opportunities are occasionally available. A fisheries assessment of Bullhead Lake was initiated in 2024 to evaluate the fish community and help guide future management of the lake. The only previous survey occurred in 1989. Fish species present at that time included Brown Bullhead, Finescale Dace and Northern Redbelly Dace. Primary species captured in 2024 were Bluegill and Brown Bullhead. A variety of other species including Black Crappie, hybrid sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed and Yellow Perch were captured in low numbers, most of them likely introduced through stocking along with adult Bluegill. The Bluegill population in 2024 was of surprising quality, even knowing that it was established through stocking of adults both in 2024 and very likely in 2023 as the winter of 2023-24 was extremely mild. Bluegill ranged in length from 5 to 9 inches and averaged around 8 inches.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, June 10, 2024.

All Minnesota stockings · every Minnesota lake with a page · state CSV · this lake on DNR LakeFinder