George Lake (Stearns County)
Stearns County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 73061100
DNR records show 4 stocking entries at George Lake (Stearns County) since 2016, most recently rainbow trout yearlings in 2019 (150 fish).
- George Lake (Stearns County) has 4 DNR stocking records across 3 years (2016-2019): rainbow trout (2), channel catfish (2).
- The most-stocked species by count is channel catfish: 319 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 32 ft, mean depth 16 ft; surface area 9 acres, 4 littoral acres, 0.4 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Stearns County, nearest town Saint Cloud; DNR lake number (DOW) 73061100.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 150 | 68.2 |
| 2017 | Channel Catfish | adults | 125 | 250.0 |
| 2017 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 109 | 103.8 |
| 2016 | Channel Catfish | adults | 194 | 349.6 |
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.
DNR fish survey, 2016
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Standard electrofishing | 210.82 | 79 | 0.13 |
| Golden shiner | Standard electrofishing | 170.79 | 64 | 0.00 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard electrofishing | 160.12 | 60 | 0.41 |
| Black crappie | Standard electrofishing | 109.41 | 41 | 0.22 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard electrofishing | 29.36 | 11 | 0.13 |
| Common carp | Standard electrofishing | 18.68 | 7 | 2.57 |
| Yellow perch | Standard electrofishing | 8.01 | 3 | 0.13 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard electrofishing | 5.34 | 2 | 0.23 |
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 George is a small lake with a unique history located within the City of St. Cloud. When originally surveyed in 1855 the lake was approximately four times larger than it is today. The lake was originally supplied with water by a combination of springs and a small creek located on the west side. Water drained eastward through a ravine to the Mississippi River. As the city of St. Cloud grew and the surrounding landscape changed, water levels dropped and conditions generally deteriorated. In the winter of 1927 an effort by the City to improve conditions was initiated. The center of the lake was dredged and sediment from the lake was used to fill in the north and south sides of the lake transforming it into a much smaller 9 acre lake with a maximum depth of 32 feet. Because of the excavation the shoreline drops off sharply but sago pondweed grows densely in the shallow margins around the lake. A walkway encircles the lake, providing easy access for shore anglers. Canoes, stand-up paddleboards, and paddleboats are available for rent and weekly kids fishing events are held during the summer months. A city ordinance prohibits ice fishing as the city maintains skating rinks during the winter. The lake is connected to the Mississippi River through an underground outlet on the north east side of the lake. Periodic stocking of sport fish has occurred in Lake George including Bluegill and Black Crappie most recently in 2008. Since 2014, 100 to 200 adult Channel Catfish have been stocked annually with the intent of enhancing angling opportunities as well as improving the balance of predator and prey species present in the lake. Daytime electrofishing was conducted on June 3, 2016 to assess the fishery and to consider options to improve fishing. Many Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Golden Shiners were seen and a subsample were captured for measurement. Most of the panfish sampled in Lake George were small in size. A total of 41 Black Crappie were sampled that averaged 7.4 inches in length with the largest measuring 8.6 inches. Of the 79 Bluegill sampled the average length was 5.2 inches but fish up to 7.8 inches were found. Largemouth Bass were sampled at a rate of 160 fish/hour which is about four times higher than average for lakes in the Sauk Rapids management area. The average length of Largemouth Bass was only 8.2 inches but bass up to 19.1 inches were sampled. Golden Shiners were also observed in high numbers ranging in size from 3.2 to 6.8 inches in length. Other species observed in low numbers included Common Carp, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Walleye, and…
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.
Hear when the states we cover post stockings
One email a week in season: which waters in the states we cover were stocked, straight from the state agencies' own postings. No spam, no fishing-gear ads in the mail.
Free · double opt-in · unsubscribe anytime · we store only your email.