Washington Lake (Wright County)

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

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 86005600

Washington Lake (Wright County) has no DNR stocking rows in LakeFinder; this page carries its DNR depth, access and survey data.

• Washington Lake (Wright County) shows no stocking records in Minnesota DNR LakeFinder as of September 2, 2026.
• Maximum depth 21 ft, mean depth 9 ft; surface area 155 acres, 158 littoral acres, 3.2 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, largemouth bass.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: August 3, 2009 (targeted survey).
• Wright County, nearest town Buffalo; DNR lake number (DOW) 86005600.

Depth map

Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey; depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.

DNR fish survey, 2009

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.

Washington Lake was originally surveyed in 1972. At that time no fish were taken in either gill nets or trap nets. Up until 1992 there were some severe winters and a tendency toward low oxygen. Since 2001 winters have been mild and there have been no reports of dead fish after winter. Rising water levels have provided more habitat/volume for well-oxygenated water. The fishery has changed markedly since 1972. We have reports of excellent northern pike and largemouth fishing. Sunfish and crappies are caught. Yellow perch were observed during electrofishing. Past Management of this shallow, natural environment lake has been limited to oxygen testing, and a largemouth "angler survey" on June 20, 2006. Largemouth electrofishing was accomplished on 5/6/09 and a survey of curled pondweed took place June 2009. Largemouth bass were sampled by night-time electrofishing on May 6, 2009. No previous electrofishing survey had ever been conducted. A total of 77 largemouth bass were sampled in 0.93 hours of effort for a catch rate of 90.9 fish/hr. Largemouth bass sampled ranged in length from 6.2 to 19.1 inches with an average length of 12.5 inches. Proportional stock density (PSD) was 54, with RSD-P, 24. Curled pondweed was mapped at the time of peak abundance on June 3, 2009. It was found growing at or near the surface on 59.5 acres, 36.3 percent of the lakes' surface. Results of water quality testing from a single sample collected on 7/27/09 showed that total phosphorous and chlorophyll a were: 0.081 ppm and 90.6. ppb, respectively. Corresponding TSI values were: 67 and 75. Washington Lake has hyper-eutrophic status. The lake is undeveloped in a landscape that is rapidly developing (eastern Wright County). The lake seems unique in that (reportedly) few fish are harvested, bald eagles nest and beaver occupy the shoreline.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, August 3, 2009.

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