Star Lake (Meeker County)
Meeker County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 47012900
DNR records show 4 stocking entries at Star Lake (Meeker County) since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2024 (278,359 fish).
- Star Lake (Meeker County) has 4 DNR stocking records across 4 years (2016-2024): walleye (4).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 1,674,743 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 15 ft; surface area 553 acres, 557 littoral acres, 9.6 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 3.2 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Meeker County, nearest town Litchfield; DNR lake number (DOW) 47012900.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey; depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | fry | 278,359 | 2.8 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 278,163 | 2.7 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 557,000 | 6.5 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 561,221 | 4.7 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | |
| CA | UKN | - No longer maintained since new access was developed on the SE shore. |
DNR fish survey, 2023
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 82.11 | 739 | 0.12 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 11.67 | 105 | 3.08 |
| Black bullhead | Standard gill nets | 7.67 | 69 | 0.83 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 2.44 | 22 | 3.46 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 2.33 | 21 | 0.08 |
| Golden shiner | Standard gill nets | 0.89 | 8 | 0.07 |
| Common carp | Standard gill nets | 0.56 | 5 | 9.09 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 0.33 | 3 | 0.17 |
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.
Star is a moderate sized lake (552 acres) located southwest of the City of Litchfield in Meeker County. A state-owned access with paved parking and a single cement boat ramp is present on the southeast shore. Star has approximately ten miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of fifteen feet. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has divided Minnesota's lakes into 44 different classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Star is a class 42 lake and other similar waterbodies in the Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area are Marion and Otter Lakes in McLeod County. Star's 2018 lake management plan listed Walleye as primary management species, while Northern Pike, Black Crappie, Bluegill and Largemouth Bass were secondary species. An aeration system is typically operated during ice-covered months to provide a small refuge area for fish during harsh winters. The most recent partial winterkill at Star Lake occurred in 2014. Fish populations can fluctuate widely depending on the severity of the latest winterkill event. Netting was completed in 2023 to monitor the fish population. Low numbers of Walleye were netted in 2023, but size was large. Walleye averaged 21 inches in length. The maximum length of Walleye sampled was 24 inches. The oldest Walleye was age-9. A new Walleye stocking regime was initiated in 2022 (278,000 Spicer strain Walleye fry in even numbered years) in an attempt to increase their abundance. This change was made after a series of stockings, from 2014 thru 2018, failed to meet lake management plan goals. High numbers of predatory Northern Pike have likely been a limiting factor on small Walleye at Star Lake following the 2014 partial winterkill. Northern Pike were abundant this year with fish averaging 23.6 inches in length. Approximately 27% of pike netted were 26 inches or longer. Large pike were found to be present at Star Lake in 2023, with the longest fish measuring 38 inches. Northern Pike regulations were revised at a statewide level beginning in 2018 to better accommodate regional differences in pike habitats, population abundances and size structures. Three management zones were established for Northern Pike, with their own bag limit and length limit restrictions. In the north-central zone, where Star Lake is found, anglers can keep up to ten Northern Pike, but no more than two fish can be longer than 26 inches; and all pike from 22 to 26 inches must be immediately released. Darkhouse spear fishermen are allowed to have one pike within the protected slot limit in their possession. This zone regulation is…
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; contours are the DNR bathymetric survey. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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