Ossawinnamakee Lake

Crow Wing County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 18035200

DNR records show 9 stocking entries at Ossawinnamakee Lake since 2017, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2025 (53 fish).

• Ossawinnamakee Lake has 9 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2017-2025): walleye (9).
• The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 21,935 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 63 ft; surface area 711 acres, 225 littoral acres, 13.3 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 20.5 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, and 6 more.
• 1 public access on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: August 6, 2025 (targeted survey).
• Crow Wing County, nearest town Ideal Corners; DNR lake number (DOW) 18035200.

Depth map

Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 8/14/1955 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.

Stocking history

¹ fish purchased and stocked by private citizens and sporting groups. ² fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.

Public accesses

DNR fish survey, 2025

Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Ossawinnamakee Lake on August 6th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. During the summer, Cisco require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on the profile from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth 62.3 feet), the water temperature decreased below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) at 17.4 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 32.8 feet at the time of sampling. The thickness of this layer of water in the water column was 15.4 feet, indicating that oxythermal habitat was present for Cisco. Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 8.3 degrees C (46.9 degrees F). TDO3 values cooler than 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were suitable for Cisco at the time of the survey. Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the late summer period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 2023 also indicate suitable oxythermal habitat when the suitable oxythermal habitat layer was 16.4 feet thick. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Cisco are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, August 6, 2025.

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