Minnow Lake
Clearwater County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 15013700
DNR records show 4 stocking entries at Minnow Lake since 2018, most recently bluegill sunfish adults in 2025 (150 fish).
- Minnow Lake has 4 DNR stocking records across 3 years (2018-2025): walleye (2), bluegill sunfish (1), black crappie (1).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 212,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 24 ft; surface area 110 acres, 88 littoral acres, 2.6 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, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Clearwater County, nearest town Bagley; DNR lake number (DOW) 15013700.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 6/21/1977 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Bluegill Sunfish | adults | 150 | 50.0 |
| 2023 | Black Crappie | adults | 91 | 18.2 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 102,000 | 0.9 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 110,000 | 0.9 |
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 | Minnesota DNR | State owned; northeast corner in T.147; R. 38; S. 23; approximately 3 unit parking |
DNR fish survey, 2024
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 41.67 | 250 | 0.18 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 27.50 | 165 | 1.37 |
| Black bullhead | Standard gill nets | 5.17 | 31 | 0.10 |
| Golden shiner | Standard gill nets | 0.17 | 1 | 0.07 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 2.67 | 24 | 0.15 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 2.11 | 19 | 0.90 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 1.11 | 10 | 0.59 |
| Black bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.56 | 5 | 0.07 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 1.11 |
| Golden shiner | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 0.06 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard trap nets | 0.11 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 0.11 | 1 | 0.50 |
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.
Minnow Lake is a 110-acre, moderately developed lake located west of Bagley in central Clearwater County. Minnow Lake has a water clarity of 8 feet and a maximum depth of 24 feet. Emergent vegetation is abundant along the shoreline of this productive lake. Minnow Lake is known to occasionally winterkill due to its shallow basin and abundant aquatic vegetation. The fish community is dependent on the frequency of the winterkill events. The fish community typically consists of species (Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, and Bullhead species) tolerant to low oxygen conditions. If a winterkill event is confirmed, adult Black Crappie, Bluegill, and/or Largemouth Bass are stocked to re-establish the populations. If winterkill events are infrequent or less severe, these species can grow fast, become more abundant, and provide good fishing opportunities for anglers. The state-owned public access is located within a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) on the northeastern shore and has parking for 3 vehicles and trailers. A standard survey was completed on Minnow Lake in 2024 to assess the fish community. Gamefish species targeted by anglers in this lake include Bluegill, Black Crappie, Northern Pike, Walleye, and Yellow Perch. A total of 10 Black Crappie were captured and ranged from 4 to 11 inches. Ninety-one adult Black Crappie were stocked in 2023 to re-establish the population following the severe winters of 2022 and 2023. The presence of adult Black Crappie in the survey indicate that fish survived the initial stocking and are providing a brood source for the population. Northern Pike are abundant and above the typical range for similar lakes in Minnesota. Northern Pike ranged from 10 to 25 inches and averaged 19 inches. Only seven percent of the Northern Pike captured were within the 22 to 26 inch protected slot. This gives anglers a great opportunity to catch harvestable sized fish below the slot. Yellow Perch abundance increased from 2014 and were above the historical average for the lake. Yellow Perch ranged from 4 to 11 inches and averaged 7 inches. Yellow Perch are an important forage species for large predators like Walleye, Northern Pike, and Largemouth Bass. No Bluegill were captured and catch rates of Largemouth Bass and Walleye were very low, likely due to severe winter conditions in 2022 and 2023. Other species sampled during the survey included Black Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, and Golden Shiner. Currently, Minnow Lake is not infested with any aquatic invasive species (AIS). AIS can be transferred by anglers and boats from infested to non-infested…
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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