Shell Lake

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

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 03010200

DNR records show 13 stocking entries at Shell Lake since 2017, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (3,116,640 fish).

• Shell Lake has 13 DNR stocking records across 7 years (2017-2025): walleye (7), black crappie (2), bluegill sunfish (2), largemouth bass (2).
• The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 19,792,810 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 16 ft; surface area 3,147 acres, 3,070 littoral acres, 10.2 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 7.5 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, and 2 more.
• 1 public access on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: May 10, 2023 (targeted survey).
• Becker County, nearest town Snellman; DNR lake number (DOW) 03010200.

Depth map

Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 5/26/1961 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.

Stocking history

Public accesses

DNR fish survey, 2023

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.

Shell Lake is a 3,140-acre lake located in east central Becker County. Extensive stands of wild rice are found in shoal waters throughout much of the lake, and waterfowl hunting is an important recreational use of the lake. Because much of the lake is shallow, Shell Lake is subject to occasional winterkills. A couple of minor kills took place between 1989 and 1993, the winter of 2017-2018, and the winter of 2021-2022. Severe events have happened in 1996, 2014, and the winter of 2022-2023. Property owners reported abundant dead fish in the spring of 2023. A targeted fisheries survey was conducted on 05/10/2023 to 05/11/2023 to assess the severity of the winterkill. Dead fish of all species were observed while surveying. Trap nets captured Northern Pike, White Sucker, Yellow Perch, and three species of Bullhead, all species which are more tolerant to low oxygen conditions. Bullheads were abundant. Northern Pike were caught in good numbers with an average length of 19 inches. Shell Lake appears to have experienced a significant winterkill for Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Largemouth Bass during the 2022-2023 winter. Walleye were reintroduced during 2023. Angling opportunities for Northern Pike are still available, but it will take a few years to have quality fishing for other species.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, May 10, 2023.

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