Lower Twin Lake (Wadena County)
Wadena County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 80003000
DNR records show 7 stocking entries at Lower Twin Lake (Wadena County) since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (175,440 fish).
- Lower Twin Lake (Wadena County) has 7 DNR stocking records across 6 years (2016-2025): walleye (7).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 324,901 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 26 ft; surface area 252 acres, 175 littoral acres, 2.6 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 5.5 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, golden redhorse, greater redhorse, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, river redhorse, and 9 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Wadena County, nearest town Menahga; DNR lake number (DOW) 80003000.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 7/31/1949 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 175,440 | 1.5 |
| 2023 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 3,872 | 176.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fingerlings | 3,189 | 172.4 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fingerlings | 1,232 | 44.0 |
| 2019 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 3,013 | 131.0 |
| 2017 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 4,025 | 175.0 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 134,130 | 1.1 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | Located on south side of County Road 21 on channel between Upper and Lower Twin Lakes. |
DNR fish survey, 2023
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 52.50 | 315 | 0.16 |
| Shorthead redhorse | Standard gill nets | 14.67 | 88 | 1.59 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 4.50 | 27 | 2.75 |
| Silver redhorse | Standard gill nets | 3.83 | 23 | 2.86 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 3.17 | 19 | 1.60 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 2.67 | 16 | 3.75 |
| RRH | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 12 | 3.03 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 12 | 0.24 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 6.00 | 54 | 0.44 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 1.11 | 10 | 1.67 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 1.11 | 10 | 0.42 |
| Silver redhorse | Standard trap nets | 1.00 | 9 | 3.43 |
| Greater redhorse | Standard trap nets | 1.00 | 9 | 3.27 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 0.89 | 8 | 0.38 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 0.89 | 8 | 0.33 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.78 | 7 | 0.72 |
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.
Lower Twin Lake is located in northern Wadena County, just south of the Hubbard County Line. Lower Twin has a surface area of 252 acres and a maximum depth of 26 feet. A state-owned public access is located on the channel (Shell River) connecting Upper and Lower Twin Lakes. The Shell River flows through Upper and Lower Twin Lakes and eventually into the Crow Wing River. Lower Twin is a popular fishing lake and receives moderate to heavy fishing pressure year around. Lower Twin provides multi-species opportunities for anglers, with good populations of Walleye, Northern Pike, and panfish. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Class 31 lakes generally have very hard water and a regularly shaped shoreline. Other class 31 lakes in the Park Rapids management area include: Second, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Crow Wing Lakes, Boulder, Duck, Evergreen, Hattie, Hinds, and Tripp. Walleye abundance has remained steady the past several surveys on Lower Twin. Eleven year classes of Walleye were sampled and ranged in size from 7.9 to 30.0 inches. Yellow Perch, an important forage species for Walleye, were sampled in high numbers, similar to past surveys. Yellow Perch were small in size and generally not an acceptable size for angling. Yellow Perch up to 8.6 inches were sampled. Past surveys have shown the Northern Pike population to fluctuate from moderate to high numbers. Northern Pike abundance was lower this survey, but quality sized fish were sampled. Northern Pike had an average length of 24.3 inches and weighed 3.7 pounds with fish measured up to 40.9 inches. Panfish are a popular choice year-round on Lower Twin. Anglers will find Bluegill and Pumpkinseed in the 7-8 inch size range and Black Crappie in the 9-10 inch size range. Past surveys have shown Black Crappie to fluctuate from low to moderate numbers. Lower Twin has both Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass populations. Present and past surveys have shown low to moderate Largemouth Bass populations compared to other area lakes. Smallmouth Bass were not sampled in 2023, but have been sampled in low numbers in past surveys. Lower Twin has an abundant White Sucker and Redhorse population. Anglers pursuing these species will find high numbers in the inlet and outlet areas. Currently faucet snails and curly leaf pondweed, both aquatic invasive species (AIS), have been identified in Lower Twin. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all plants or animals from their…
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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