Harriet Lake (Hennepin County)
Hennepin County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 27001600
DNR records show 22 stocking entries at Harriet Lake (Hennepin County) since 2016, most recently muskellunge fingerlings in 2025 (85 fish).
- Harriet Lake (Hennepin County) has 22 DNR stocking records across 9 years (2016-2025): walleye (15), muskellunge (6), least darter (1).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 12,118 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 87 ft, mean depth 29 ft; surface area 341 acres, 85 littoral acres, 2.7 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 10.1 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, and 3 more.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Hennepin County, nearest town Minneapolis; DNR lake number (DOW) 27001600.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 5/6/1981 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Muskellunge9 | fingerlings | 85 | 28.8 |
| 2025 | Walleye | yearlings | 1,522 | 111.0 |
| 2024 | Muskellunge | fingerlings | 85 | 14.8 |
| 2024 | Walleye | fingerlings | 16 | 4.0 |
| 2024 | Walleye | yearlings | 259 | 61.0 |
| 2024 | Walleye | yearlings | 130 | 39.0 |
| 2024 | Walleye | fingerlings | 91 | 12.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fingerlings | 1,148 | 133.5 |
| 2022 | Muskellunge | fingerlings | 85 | 15.4 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fingerlings | 820 | 39.5 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fingerlings | 979 | 103.5 |
| 2022 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 1,802 | 106.0 |
| 2021 | Muskellunge | fingerlings | 85 | 15.2 |
| 2020 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 1,672 | 106.0 |
| 2019 | Least Darter | adults | 174 | 0.1 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fingerlings | 1,865 | 105.9 |
| 2018 | Muskellunge | fingerlings | 85 | 9.9 |
| 2018 | Walleye | yearlings | 334 | 167.0 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fingerlings | 45 | 3.0 |
| 2018 | Walleye | yearlings | 519 | 79.8 |
| 2016 | Muskellunge | fingerlings | 85 | 14.8 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fingerlings | 916 | 79.0 |
2 fish purchased by the DNR for stocking. 9 fish cooperatively purchased, raised, and/or stocked by DNR and other agencies or sporting groups.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| asphalt ramp | city | - Fee parking lots adjacent and nearby. Some free parking off-site, subject to availability and City parking regulations. Electric motor use only; other motors may remain attached but must be propped up. Since 2013 City-imposed inspections for aquatic invasive species include evening / overnight ramp closures. Craft that can be carried across other access points are allowed anytime during open park hours, subject to Minneapolis Parks rules. Contact or check web site of City of Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board for lake-use details or questions. |
| CA | city | - Two canoe rack locations (application and fee permits required for rack use), plus multiple points along the shore allow free access for carry-in craft (subject to park hours and rules; vehicles subject to applicable parking restrictions and fees). |
DNR fish survey, 2024
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 87.00 | 696 | 0.21 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 17.75 | 142 | 0.15 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 7.38 | 59 | 3.48 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 6.00 | 48 | 1.55 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard gill nets | 1.12 | 9 | 0.54 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard gill nets | 1.12 | 9 | 0.18 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 0.88 | 7 | 2.17 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 0.62 | 5 | 0.31 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 64.56 | 581 | 0.13 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 2.89 | 26 | 0.18 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 2.78 | 25 | 0.23 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 2.33 | 21 | 0.35 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.67 | 6 | 2.31 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 3 | 0.95 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 3 | 1.96 |
| White sucker | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 1.43 |
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.
Harriet is a 341-acre (85 littoral acres) lake with a maximum depth of 82 feet. Harriet is located in south Minneapolis in eastern Hennepin County. Harriet is primarily managed for Walleye (fingerling stocked annually) and Muskellunge (fingerling stocked during even-numbered years), but includes catchable populations of Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Black Crappie. Public water access is provided by the City of Minneapolis on the northwest side of the lake off William Berry Pkwy and Lake Harriet Pkwy (up to 10 vehicle/trailer parking spaces). A Standard Survey (9 trap nets/8 gill nets) was conducted on Lake Harriet during the week of 7/08/2024 to monitor water quality and fish populations. Water clarity was moderate with a measured Secchi reading of 10 feet during the time of this survey. Dissolved oxygen fell below 2 parts per million (ppm) below 18 feet, meaning fish would be unlikely to use water depths greater than 18 feet during mid-summer. Zebra Mussels and Eurasian Watermilfoil have been found in Lake Harriet and remain present. High numbers of Walleye were sampled with gill nets (6.0/net), above the expected catch rate of similar lakes. The 2024 netting recorded the highest Lake Harriet Walleye catch rate in the previous 30 years. There were 45 Walleye sampled in gill nets in 2024, with an average length of 15.7 inches and the largest measured at 26.8 inches. With no natural reproduction, annual stocking has maintained a balanced population (a middle ground between high numbers of small fish and low numbers of large fish). Walleye growth in Harriet was fast compared to similar lakes across the metro, indicated by an average length of 16.1 inches by age 3. High numbers, quality size, and fast growth has created a unique opportunity for anglers to pursue Walleye in the heart of Minneapolis. Muskellunge are not effectively sampled with the gear used in the summer fisheries survey. However, one Muskellunge was incidentally captured with trap nets, measuring 44.1 inches. High numbers of Northern Pike were sampled with gill nets (7.4/net), above the expected catch rate of similar lakes. There were 59 Northern Pike sampled in gill nets in 2024, with an average size of 24.7 inches and the largest measured at 38.2 inches. In spite of high numbers, Harriet provides excellent harvest opportunity with a possession limit of 10 and nearly 70% of sampled fish falling outside of the protected slot (22 to 26 inches). Despite an excellent opportunity for harvest, anglers should check the latest fish consumption guidelines…
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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