Thunder Lake (Todd County)
Todd County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 77006600
DNR records show 9 stocking entries at Thunder Lake (Todd County) since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (200,000 fish).
- Thunder Lake (Todd County) has 9 DNR stocking records across 9 years (2016-2025): walleye (9).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 1,900,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 17 ft; surface area 214 acres, 194 littoral acres, 2.9 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 7.4 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, and 3 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Todd County, nearest town Browerville; DNR lake number (DOW) 77006600.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 1.8 |
| 2024 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 1.8 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 1.8 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 1.8 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 1.8 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 1.7 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 1.8 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 1.8 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 300,000 | 2.7 |
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 | SE corner of lake. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black bullhead | Standard gill nets | 216.00 | 432 | 0.06 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 10.50 | 21 | 2.37 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard gill nets | 7.00 | 14 | 0.54 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 6.00 | 12 | 0.30 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard gill nets | 4.50 | 9 | 0.50 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 3.50 | 7 | 0.62 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 4 | 1.93 |
| Bowfin (dogfish) | Standard gill nets | 0.50 | 1 | 3.89 |
| Black bullhead | Standard trap nets | 100.50 | 603 | 0.04 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 16.33 | 98 | 0.41 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard trap nets | 9.83 | 59 | 0.36 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 7.00 | 42 | 0.14 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 1.00 | 6 | 0.15 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.83 | 5 | 2.08 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 0.83 | 5 | 0.22 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 0.67 | 4 | 0.22 |
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.
Thunder (DOW# 77-0066-00; Lake Class 39) is a 214-acre lake located near Browerville, Minnesota. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned concrete boat ramp is located on the south shore. Thunder has 2.9 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake is managed primarily for Northern Pike and Walleye and secondarily for Black Crappie. Thunder is in the process of recovering from a winterkill in the winter of 2022-2023. Walleye, Largemouth Bass, and Bluegill are particularly susceptible to winterkills, with Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, and Black Crappie more resistant. This winterkill appears to have affected Walleye and Largemouth Bass most heavily. A total of 21 Northern Pike were captured in 2025 (10.5/gillnet). This catch was slightly below the 2019 (11/gillnet) and 2013 (11.2/gillnet) surveys. Lengths sampled ranged from 16 to 29 inches and averaged 21.7 inches. Only 19 percent measured greater than 24 inches. This value is above that of 2019 (15.9%) and below 2013 (28.9%). The clear presence of large fish suggests significant survival. Anglers are encouraged to take advantage of the current Northern Pike regulation by harvesting small fish and releasing large fish. This can help preserve the fishery and maintain balance in the fish community on Thunder. Seven Walleye were captured in 2025 (3.5/gillnet), which is higher than both 2019 (1.75) and 2013 (2.75). Lengths observed ranged from 11 to 14 inches, with the only year class represented being 2023. Thunder has been stocked with Walleye fry annually since 2016 following the determination that natural reproduction was limited. The lack of fish from year classes prior to 2023 is likely due to the winterkill. Only 5 Black Crappie were sampled in trap nets in 2025 (0.83/trap net). This is within the normal range for this type of lake. Lengths sampled ranged from 6.5 to 8.5 inches, but the limited sample size along with evidence of winterkill survival means quality fish may still be present in Thunder. One juvenile Largemouth Bass measuring 5.4 inches was captured in 2025. Electrofishing in 2024 captured 22 Largemouth Bass ranging in length from 3.7 to 14.4 inches. Though not an actively managed species, quality Largemouth Bass have been observed in prior surveys and their recovery will be monitored. Yellow Perch are an important forage species in Thunder with a few individuals attaining lengths desirable to anglers. A total of 12 Yellow Perch were captured in 2025 (6/gillnet), which is below average for this lake type and below the historical range for Thunder (8…
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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