Strand Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 69052900
DNR records show 2 stocking entries at Strand Lake since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2018 (330,000 fish).
- Strand Lake has 2 DNR stocking records across 2 years (2016-2018): walleye (2).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 660,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 16 ft; surface area 330 acres, 329 littoral acres, 5.2 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 3.9 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- St. Louis County, nearest town Cotton; DNR lake number (DOW) 69052900.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey (get source); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 330,000 | 3.8 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 330,000 | 3.3 |
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 | - Access located at North Strand Lake Road on the north side of the lake off of County Road 973. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 9.17 | 55 | 1.18 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 3.67 | 22 | 0.29 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 3.17 | 19 | 2.60 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 2.50 | 15 | 1.16 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 1.17 | 7 | 0.55 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 0.33 | 2 | 0.02 |
| Rock bass | Standard gill nets | 0.17 | 1 | 0.43 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard gill nets | 0.17 | 1 | 1.84 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 3.44 | 31 | 0.11 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 1.67 | 15 | 0.25 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 0.89 | 8 | 0.35 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 0.78 | 7 | 0.49 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 0.78 | 7 | 2.01 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.56 | 5 | 3.71 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 0.67 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.11 | 1 | 0.77 |
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.
Strand Lake is a 330-acre lake located 5 miles southeast of Cotton, Minnesota, with a maximum depth of 16 feet. There is a township administered; gravel back-in access located on the north side of the lake off County Road 973. The 2019 Lake Management Plan (LMP) identified Walleye, Bluegill, and Black Crappie as primary management species and Yellow Perch as a secondary species. Management goals include maintaining a naturally reproducing Walleye fishery with above-average gill net catch rates and good numbers of fish over 15 inches, as well as Bluegill and Black Crappie populations capable of supporting above-average catches of preferred-length fish and occasional memorable individuals. Anglers can help achieve this goal through selective harvest and proper catch-and-release techniques. A special regulation (daily bag limit: five Crappie and five Sunfish) was implemented in 2022 to protect the size structure of the fishery. Strand Lake was assessed in summer 2025 to update information about fish populations as part of a 10-year survey cycle, most recently completed in 2015. The Walleye population is self-sustaining and has not been stocked since 2018. Walleye catches have generally exceeded typical values compared to other similar Minnesota lakes. The 2025 gill net catch (9.2 per net) was above average compared to similar lakes. Walleye ranged in length from 8.3 to 28.7 inches, with a mean length of 14.3 inches. Size-structure goals were met. Two memorable-length fish (greater than 25 inches) were sampled. Great Walleye fishing opportunities exist, given the abundance and quality size structure. Strand Lake also supports quality size structure for Bluegill and Black Crappie. Bluegill abundance (3.4 per net) was within the expected range for this lake type. The mean length was 4.7 inches, and several preferred-length individuals (greater than 8 inches) were captured. Bluegill angling is expected to be good, with opportunities to catch preferred and occasionally memorable-sized fish (greater than 10 inches). Black Crappie size structure was good (2.5-12 inches; mean length 7.7 inches), with multiple preferred-length fish (greater than 10 inches) sampled. Trap net catch in 2025 (0.9 per net) was the lowest on record, though recent surveys have documented above average catches. Angling opportunities for preferred-size Crappie are expected to be good. Yellow Perch ranged from 5.0 to 12.2 inches, averaging 8.7 inches, showing good size structure and angling opportunities. Electrofishing was conducted to evaluate the presence of an emerging Largemouth Bass…
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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