Wabana Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 31039200
DNR records show 10 stocking entries at Wabana Lake since 2016, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2025 (12,444 fish).
- Wabana Lake has 10 DNR stocking records across 9 years (2016-2025): walleye (10).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 139,461 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 115 ft; surface area 2,221 acres, 785 littoral acres, 25.3 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 18.6 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, and 2 more.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Itasca County, nearest town Grand Rapids; DNR lake number (DOW) 31039200.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 5/28/1980 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 12,444 | 785.0 |
| 2024 | Walleye2 | yearlings | 12,124 | 785.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 19,697 | 785.0 |
| 2022 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 25,120 | 785.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye2 | yearlings | 3,184 | 398.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 7,975 | 387.0 |
| 2019 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 15,695 | 784.8 |
| 2018 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 16,485 | 785.0 |
| 2017 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 12,560 | 785.0 |
| 2016 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 14,177 | 784.0 |
2 fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.
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 | Access is on the southeast corner of the lake in Section 23, one half mile north and west of the intersection of County Road #49 and #59. |
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | On northwest shore in Section 8 near the end of County Road #335 (Bluewater Road). |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 19.93 | 299 | 0.10 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 3.00 | 45 | 0.23 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 2.27 | 34 | 0.31 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard trap nets | 0.80 | 12 | 0.60 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 0.53 | 8 | 0.19 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 0.40 | 6 | 0.17 |
| Smallmouth bass | Standard trap nets | 0.40 | 6 | 0.08 |
| Green sunfish | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 5 | 0.09 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 11.47 | 172 | 0.14 |
| Rock bass | Standard gill nets | 8.60 | 129 | 0.26 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 3.87 | 58 | 3.67 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 3.73 | 56 | 1.55 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 2.87 | 43 | 0.12 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard gill nets | 2.47 | 37 | 0.62 |
| Tullibee (cisco) | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 30 | 2.23 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard gill nets | 1.13 | 17 | 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.
Wabana Lake is a 2,215-acre lake about 11 miles north of Grand Rapids. It has two public boat accesses and moderate shoreline development. For anglers, Wabana is managed first and foremost as a Walleye lake, with Northern Pike and both Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass also important parts of the fishery. The 2025 survey was part of ongoing work to see how well Walleye stocking is working and to check the overall health of the fish populations. Walleye are stocked every year to help sustain the fishery, because natural reproduction in Wabana has historically been low. The lake's deep, cold water tends to delay spring warm-up, which can limit fry survival. Since stocking began in the early 1980s, Walleye numbers have stayed fairly steady but usually run toward the lower end compared to similar lakes. In 2025, the gill-net catch rate was 3.7 fish per net, close to the long-term average and near the management goal. The size structure was moderate and similar to past surveys. Walleye ranged from about 8 to nearly 28 inches, with an average of 15 inches. Fish from ages 2 through 10 were present, and growth was good-about 16 inches by age 4-which is in line with statewide averages. Even though Yellow Perch numbers are low, stocked Walleye continue to show consistent year-classes. Northern Pike numbers in 2025 were consistent with management objectives. The catch rate was 3.9 fish per net, similar to past surveys. Pike ranged from 13 to just over 37 inches, averaging about 25 inches. Size structure was good, with some larger fish over 34 inches present. About one-third of the Pike sampled were in the protected 22-26 inch slot for the north-central zone. Growth was fast early on, with fish reaching about 26 inches by age 5, then leveling off to average. Overall, Pike are providing a solid opportunity, including chances at memorable-sized fish (34 inches). Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass were caught in both trap nets and gill nets. While those gear types are not the best tools for sampling bass, results show both species are present in expected numbers. Largemouth up to 19 inches and Smallmouth up to 20 inches were sampled, indicating good size potential and continued angling opportunities for both species. Black Crappie numbers have always been on the low side in Wabana, which is typical for this type of lake. In 2025, gill nets caught slightly more crappie than average, though trap nets caught fewer. Fish ranged from 6 to just over 12 inches, averaging about 8.5 inches. Anglers may find a few keeper-sized fish, but crappie are not a dominant species here.…
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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