Perch Lake (Martin County)
Martin County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 46004600
DNR records show 3 stocking entries at Perch Lake (Martin County) since 2016, most recently northern pike fingerlings in 2024 (1,067 fish).
- Perch Lake (Martin County) has 3 DNR stocking records across 3 years (2016-2024): northern pike (3).
- The most-stocked species by count is northern pike: 2,855 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 5 ft; surface area 174 acres, 174 littoral acres, 2.7 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 1.6 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, common carp, yellow bullhead.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Martin County, nearest town Truman; DNR lake number (DOW) 46004600.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Northern Pike | fingerlings | 1,067 | 172.0 |
| 2021 | Northern Pike | fingerlings | 100 | 83.3 |
| 2016 | Northern Pike | fingerlings | 1,688 | 21.1 |
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 | TOW | - GRAVEL BOAT RAMP OFF TOWNSHIP ROADON N. END OF LAKE. |
DNR fish survey, 2014
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black bullhead | Standard trap nets | 113.44 | 1,021 | 0.05 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 1.78 | 16 | 3.51 |
| Common carp | Standard trap nets | 0.56 | 5 | 4.29 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 0.44 | 4 | 0.17 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 0.29 |
| White sucker | Standard trap nets | 0.11 | 1 | 2.48 |
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.
INTRODUCTION Perch Lake is a 175-acre, class 43 lake located in Martin County approximately 2.5 miles to the southwest of the City of Truman. Perch Lake is a shallow lake with a maximum depth of 5.0 feet. Perch Lake has a small drainage area as indicated by a watershed size to lake size ratio of 9:1. Despite the small drainage area, agricultural runoff still affects the water quality of Perch Lake which typically has highly turbid water. Perch Lake is prone to low oxygen levels during the winter months resulting in frequent winterkills. Its susceptibility to winterkill is likely a result of its shallowness and topography surrounding the lake. Perch Lake is situated in a small depression that is surrounded by trees, which prevents snow from blowing off of the lake. Because of its susceptibility to winterkill, Perch Lake is managed for species that are more tolerant of low dissolved oxygen levels such as northern pike (primary management species) and yellow perch (secondary management species). In addition, it is also managed secondarily for black crappie, despite their susceptibility to winterkill, because of its history of producing occasional large crappies. Populations of game fish have been self-sustaining; however, northern pike fingerlings (2005, 2010), fry (2003, 2014), and adults (2014) have been stocked sporadically to supplement the existing population. A population assessment was conducted during the week of June 16, 2014 to monitor fish populations using nine trap nets. NORTHERN PIKE Historical catch rates of northern pike in Perch Lake have ranged from 0.5 per trap net in 2002 to 5.7 per trap net in 1997. In 2014, northern pike were captured at a rate of 1.8 per trap net, an increase from 0.7 per trap net observed in the last survey done in 2008. Northern pike ranged in length from 18.1 to 31.5 inches and averaged 24.3 inches. Various northern pike stocking strategies have been tried in Perch Lake, but success has been limited. Fingerlings were stocked in 2005 and 2010; however, the stockings were not evaluated. Most recently in the spring of 2014, northern pike fry were stocked in the wetland directly south of Perch Lake that is periodically connected to the lake, with the idea that the northern pike fry could grow in the mostly vacant wetland (no other fish) and then move to the lake when conditions were favorable. It appears that this stocking was unsuccessful, as a nearshore survey conducted on July 22, 2014 did not capture any young-of-the-year (YOY) northern pike. In response, 200 adult northern pike were stocked in November 2014.…
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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Stocking rows, depths, accesses and survey figures are Minnesota DNR LakeFinder data as of 2026-09-02. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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