Shaokotan Lake

Lincoln County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 41008900

DNR records show 6 stocking entries at Shaokotan Lake since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2023 (497,500 fish).

• Shaokotan Lake has 6 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2016-2023): walleye (5), bluegill sunfish (1).
• The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 2,488,982 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 10 ft; surface area 996 acres, 996 littoral acres, 8.7 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 4.3 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, bluegill, green sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
• 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: October 23, 2025 (targeted survey).
• Lincoln County, nearest town Ivanhoe; DNR lake number (DOW) 41008900.

Depth map

Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 10/4/1954 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.

Stocking history

Public accesses

DNR fish survey, 2025

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.

Lake Shaokotan is a 995-acre, class 41 lake located near the city of Ivanhoe in Lincoln County. Lake Shaokotan is managed primarily for Walleye and secondarily for Northern Pike, Yellow Perch and Bluegill. Lake Shaokotan has had sporadic natural reproduction by Walleye, but it is believed that the population is maintained mostly through stocking. Historically, excessive nutrient runoff from neighboring agricultural fields and developed shorelines contributed to extensive algae blooms in the lake during the summer. Following decades of improved watershed management, there was a dramatic shift in water quality and clarity in the mid-2010's, shifting from a turbid state to a clear water state with abundant aquatic vegetation. This shift in water clarity resulted in unsuccessful fry stockings in consecutive years in 2015 and 2016. Back-to-back missing year classes can be problematic, so fingerling stocking was started in 2017. Fingerlings were only stocked once. Turbid water returning in some years since 2019 has afforded the ability to stock Walleye fry with some success. Walleye fry (N=497,500 Lower Mississippi Strain) were stocked in 2023 and night electrofishing resulted in 838 fingerling per hour. Genetic analysis revealed that only 16% were from stocking. Natural reproduction was very successful in 2023. Natural reproduction did not occur in 2024, thus a nighttime electrofishing survey was done in 2025 to assess natural reproduction and to determine if fingerling stocking in the fall of 2025 was needed to avoid consecutive missing year classes. The electrofishing survey was done on October 23, 2025. The 2025 catch rate off Walleye fingerlings in Lake Shaokotan was 49.0 per hour. Age-0 Walleye lengths were variable. Lengths ranged from 5.5 to 8.7 inches and averaged 8.0 inches. Analysis of fall electrofishing data by DNR staff indicated that a catch rate greater than 5 per hour can result in a successful year class and greater than 25 per hour often produces a year class. Therefore, potential exists for a strong year class from the 2025 natural reproduction in Lake Shaokotan. Walleye fingerlings were not stocked in the fall of 2025 because a potential year class was produced from natural reproduction.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, October 23, 2025.

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