Delay Lake
Lake County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 38041500
DNR records show 6 stocking entries at Delay Lake since 2016, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2025 (1,521 fish).
- Delay Lake has 6 DNR stocking records across 6 years (2016-2025): walleye (6).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 15,138 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 18 ft; surface area 102 acres, 100 littoral acres, 2.8 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 9.5 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Lake County, nearest town Isabella; DNR lake number (DOW) 38041500.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 1,521 | 107.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 2,092 | 100.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 3,225 | 96.3 |
| 2020 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 2,800 | 100.0 |
| 2017 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 1,500 | 100.0 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fingerlings | 4,000 | 100.0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| earthen ramp | USF | Access at the outlet on the southeast corner of the lake- off of USFS Rd. 172. This access is suitable for canoe or small boat only. - Access is on the Wanless Road. Use caution when backing a trailer due to limited visibility. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 6.25 | 25 | 2.17 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 3.75 | 15 | 4.04 |
| Rock bass | Standard gill nets | 2.25 | 9 | 0.36 |
| Smallmouth bass | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 8 | 1.47 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 1.50 | 6 | 0.63 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 0.25 | 1 | 0.14 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 1.67 | 15 | 0.07 |
| Smallmouth bass | Standard trap nets | 0.56 | 5 | 0.31 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 2.11 |
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.
Delay Lake is located two miles east of Isabella off of the Wanless Road. The lake is managed for Walleye, Northern Pike, and Smallmouth Bass with Walleye fingerlings stocked during the fall of odd numbered years. There is a small gravel access suited for small, trailered or carry-in boats on the north side of the road (south shore of the lake) with parking for one to two vehicles on the south side of the road. Extreme caution should be used since this access is located on a curve in the road and visibility from either direction is poor. A lake survey was conducted in July of 2025 to assess the effectiveness of the Walleye stocking and to update information on the fish community. The catch of Walleye was lower than in the last few surveys but was within the normal range for similar lakes and still adequate to provide anglers with opportunities to target Walleye. On average, the Walleye sampled were 18 inches long with the largest fish measuring 25 inches long. Based on age estimates, all of the Walleye sampled were from stocked years with most of the fish originating from 2020 and 2021 stockings. This suggests that there is little or no successful natural reproduction and that stocking is necessary to maintain a fishable Walleye population in the lake. The Northern Pike catch was higher than the last two surveys but within the normal range for this type of lake. One 39-inch Northern Pike was sampled, while the rest of the fish ranged from 21 to 26 inches, suggesting good opportunities for anglers to harvest pike if encountered. Pike successfully reproduce most years in Delay Lake and should continue to provide angling opportunities into the future. Catch of Smallmouth Bass was within the range that has been observed in past surveys of Delay Lake. Fish up to 18.5 inches long were sampled with a good number of ages represented. This suggests that Smallmouth Bass reproduce consistently enough to maintain a population, and that they can survive and grow to catchable sizes in the lake. Rock Bass along with a few White Sucker and Yellow Perch are also present in the lake.
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. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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