Little Bemidji Lake
Becker County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 03023400
DNR records show 11 stocking entries at Little Bemidji Lake since 2017, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (112,500 fish).
- Little Bemidji Lake has 11 DNR stocking records across 8 years (2017-2025): walleye (11).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 632,462 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 58 ft; surface area 293 acres, 59 littoral acres, 3.1 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 9.0 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), and 4 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Becker County, nearest town Ponsford; DNR lake number (DOW) 03023400.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 8/5/1971 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye6 | fry | 112,500 | 0.9 |
| 2025 | Walleye6 | fingerlings | 2,700 | 90.0 |
| 2025 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 931 | 133.0 |
| 2024 | Walleye6 | fry | 177,500 | 1.4 |
| 2023 | Walleye6 | fry | 110,000 | 0.9 |
| 2022 | Walleye6 | fry | 101,250 | 0.9 |
| 2021 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 1,352 | 169.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 59,000 | 0.5 |
| 2020 | Walleye1 | fry | 65,500 | 0.6 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fingerlings | 1,129 | 59.0 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fingerlings | 600 | 75.0 |
1 fish purchased and stocked by private citizens and sporting groups. 6 fish cooperatively purchased, raised, and/or stocked by White Earth Nation.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| gravel ramp | Minnesota DNR | West shore of lake near boundary between sections 23 and 26. |
DNR fish survey, 2023
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 32.33 | 291 | 0.06 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 2.44 | 22 | 0.11 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 2.00 | 18 | 0.10 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 1.44 | 13 | 0.18 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 1.22 | 11 | 0.81 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 0.89 | 8 | 0.22 |
| Green sunfish | Standard trap nets | 0.44 | 4 | 0.09 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.44 | 4 | 2.65 |
| Tullibee (cisco) | Standard gill nets | 22.00 | 132 | 0.78 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 9.33 | 56 | 3.21 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 3.67 | 22 | 0.16 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard gill nets | 3.50 | 21 | 0.76 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 2.33 | 14 | 3.34 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 12 | 0.23 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard gill nets | 1.33 | 8 | 0.18 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard gill nets | 1.33 | 8 | 1.67 |
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.
Little Bemidji is a lightly developed, 293-acre lake in north central Becker County, within the Ottertail River Watershed. The surrounding watershed is primarily mixed hardwood and conifer forest, with light development. There is a resort on the northwest shore and a public access on the west central shore. Boat access is also available from Elbow Lake via the Otter Tail River. On 07/17/2023, a standard survey of the Little Bemidji fish community was conducted. The primary gamefish species sought by anglers in this lake include Walleye, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and Bluegill. Walleye numbers have increased slightly since the previous assessment that was conducted in 2018. In 2023, Walleyes ranging in size from 11 inches to 30 inches long were captured, with the average length being nearly 20 inches. Northern Pike sampled ranged from 14 to 35 inches, with an average length of 24 inches. Catch rates were down in 2023 compared to record high numbers of Northern Pike sampled during the 2018 assessment. Bluegills in Little Bemidji Lake are relatively abundant, and generally small. Fish over eight inches were not captured in 2023. The vast majority of the population of Bluegill is between 3.5 and six inches. Only ten Largemouth Bass were sampled during this survey. Bass had an average length of 12 inches, but fish just over 17 inches were observed. The Yellow Perch population has been declining in Little Bemidji since 1983. Just under 20 perch were sampled during the 2023 survey, and those fish averaged seven inches in length. Though the statewide trend for Tullibee (Cisco) is declining, the population within Little Bemidji is doing well. Abundance in 2023 was the highest ever recorded. Cisco ranging from seven inches to nearly 17 inches were sampled during this assessment. Cisco are a high protein forage species and are likely sustaining the forage base in this lake in the absence of Yellow Perch. Other species sampled during this assessment included Black Bullhead, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, White Sucker, and Yellow Bullhead. Aquatic habitat near the shoreline in Little Bemidji Lake includes many areas of dense Chara, a native aquatic plant. Some areas of emergent vegetation also exist. These plants provide nesting and rearing areas for fish, as well as help stabilize shorelines and protect water quality. Preservation of the integrity of these vegetation stands are crucial for the long-term health of the aquatic life assemblage in Little Bemidji 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; 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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