Waboose Lake (Becker County)

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

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 03021300

DNR records show 13 stocking entries at Waboose Lake (Becker County) since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (232,000 fish).

• Waboose Lake (Becker County) has 13 DNR stocking records across 7 years (2016-2025): walleye (10), bluegill sunfish (2), black crappie (1).
• The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 505,063 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 14 ft; surface area 232 acres, 232 littoral acres, 2.3 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 7.0 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch.
• 1 public access on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: May 11, 2023 (targeted survey).
• Becker County, nearest town Ponsford; DNR lake number (DOW) 03021300.

Depth map

Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 10/24/1989 (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.

Waboose Lake is a 232-acre lake located in north central Becker County within the upper reaches of the Otter Tail River watershed. It lies entirely within the boundaries of both the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge and the White Earth Indian Reservation. The lake's shallow, eutrophic nature makes it susceptible to infrequent, partial winterkill. The last winterkill was documented in 2013-2014. Oxygen levels were documented to be low in 2017-2018, but a significant winterkill did not occur. Dead fish were reported in the spring of 2023, prompting a targeted fisheries survey to be conducted in May 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, Golden Shiner, and two species of bullhead. These are all species which are more tolerant to low oxygen conditions. White Sucker were abundant. Northern Pike were caught in good numbers with an average length of 19 inches. Waboose Lake appears to have experienced a significant winterkill for Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Largemouth Bass during the 2022-2023 winter. Walleye and Bluegill 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 11, 2023.

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