Porter Reservoir
Lincoln County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 41015600
DNR records show 12 stocking entries at Porter Reservoir since 2017, most recently walleye adults in 2025 (218 fish).
- Porter Reservoir has 12 DNR stocking records across 9 years (2017-2025): walleye (12).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 2,618 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 13 ft; surface area 16 acres, 16 littoral acres, 1.0 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 6.5 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, sunfish, walleye, yellow perch.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Lincoln County, nearest town Porter; DNR lake number (DOW) 41015600.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | adults | 218 | 218.0 |
| 2024 | Walleye | adults | 187 | 147.0 |
| 2024 | Walleye | yearlings | 620 | 168.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye | adults | 12 | 12.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye | yearlings | 256 | 138.0 |
| 2022 | Walleye | adults | 128 | 211.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye | adults | 246 | 369.0 |
| 2020 | Walleye | adults | 150 | 200.0 |
| 2019 | Walleye | adults | 381 | 254.0 |
| 2018 | Walleye | adults | 292 | 178.0 |
| 2018 | Walleye | yearlings | 28 | 22.0 |
| 2017 | Walleye | adults | 100 | 169.2 |
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 | WAT | Northeast corner; owned by Yellow Medicine River Watershed District |
DNR fish survey, 2024
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 1/4-in trap nets | 76.50 | 306 | 0.00 |
| Black crappie | 1/4-in trap nets | 14.25 | 57 | 0.00 |
| Largemouth bass | 1/4-in trap nets | 1.75 | 7 | 0.00 |
| Tadpole madtom | 1/4-in trap nets | 1.50 | 6 | 0.00 |
| Walleye | 1/4-in trap nets | 1.00 | 4 | 0.00 |
| Yellow perch | 1/4-in trap nets | 0.75 | 3 | 0.00 |
| Black bullhead | 1/4-in trap nets | 0.75 | 3 | 0.00 |
| Green sunfish | 1/4-in trap nets | 0.75 | 3 | 0.00 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 9.86 | 69 | 0.08 |
| Black bullhead | Standard trap nets | 3.00 | 21 | 1.51 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 2.00 | 14 | 0.14 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 1.00 | 7 | 1.39 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 0.71 | 5 | 0.03 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.43 | 3 | 1.64 |
| Green sunfish | Standard trap nets | 0.14 | 1 | 0.04 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 0.14 | 1 | 0.06 |
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.
Porter Reservoir is a 19-acre impoundment along a tributary of the Yellow Medicine River located 1.5 miles south of the town of Porter. It was constructed in 1974 by the Yellow Medicine River Watershed District as a flood control reservoir. A substantial portion of the shoreline is owned by the Watershed District and is publicly accessible. A small unimproved boat ramp is located on the west shore. Gamefish were stocked when the reservoir was constructed and most species have developed self-sustaining populations. Adult walleyes are stocked to provide additional angling opportunities and to help control a stunted panfish population. This 2024 targeted survey was conducted to collect routine fish population data using standard and small-mesh trap nets. These data can be compared to historical standard and targeted survey data from Porter Reservoir. Moderate numbers of bluegills and lower numbers of black crappies, largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and walleyes were present. Game fish grow relatively slow in Porter Lake, and many of them are smaller than desirable. However, some quality-sized black crappie, largemouth bass, and northern pike can be found. Hundreds of adult walleyes have been stocked in recent years and fish up to 22 inches were sampled in the 2024 survey. Curly-leaf pondweed, a non-native aquatic plant, was discovered in Porter Reservoir in 2003. This plant covers much of the lake in spring and early summer. Anglers are reminded to thoroughly clean their boat and trailer prior to leaving the lake to ensure that plant fragments are not transported to other water bodies.
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. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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