Nelson Lake (Pope County)
Pope County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 61010100
DNR records show 9 stocking entries at Nelson Lake (Pope County) since 2016, most recently black crappie adults in 2023 (120 fish).
- Nelson Lake (Pope County) has 9 DNR stocking records across 6 years (2016-2023): walleye (6), black crappie (1), bluegill sunfish (1), largemouth bass (1).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 1,338,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 15 ft, mean depth 11 ft; surface area 293 acres, 268 littoral acres, 4.0 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 7.8 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, and 1 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Pope County, nearest town Terrace; DNR lake number (DOW) 61010100.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Black Crappie | adults | 120 | 24.0 |
| 2023 | Bluegill Sunfish | adults | 61 | 24.5 |
| 2023 | Largemouth Bass | adults | 60 | 120.0 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 267,000 | 2.4 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 267,000 | 2.5 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 267,000 | 2.3 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 267,000 | 2.5 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 240,000 | 2.3 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 30,000 | 0.3 |
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| earthen ramp | Minnesota DNR |
DNR fish survey, 2023
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown bullhead | Single-frame trap nets | 10.00 | 30 | 0.86 |
| Black bullhead | Single-frame trap nets | 5.67 | 17 | 0.46 |
| Northern pike | Single-frame trap nets | 0.33 | 1 | 2.94 |
| Golden shiner | Single-frame trap nets | 0.33 | 1 | 0.09 |
| Black bullhead | 3/8-in trap nets | 1.00 | 2 | 0.07 |
| Golden shiner | 3/8-in trap nets | 1.00 | 2 | 0.05 |
| Brown bullhead | 3/8-in trap nets | 0.50 | 1 | 1.42 |
| Northern pike | 3/8-in trap nets | 0.50 | 1 | 1.99 |
| Yellow bullhead | 3/8-in trap nets | 0.50 | 1 | 0.19 |
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.
This targeted survey was completed to determine extent of winterkill following the severe 2022-2023 winter. Trap netting results suggested winterkill severity was high. Two Northern Pike were the only gamefishes sampled. Other species present in low numbers were Black, Brown, and Yellow Bullhead, and Golden Shiner. Adult Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Largemouth Bass were stocked in spring 2023 to help restore this fishery.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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