West Fox Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 18029700
DNR records show 3 stocking entries at West Fox Lake since 2017, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2023 (1,610 fish).
- West Fox Lake has 3 DNR stocking records across 3 years (2017-2023): walleye (3).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 3,360 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 55 ft; surface area 449 acres, 138 littoral acres, 5.2 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 14.3 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, and 3 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Crow Wing County, nearest town Fifty Lakes; DNR lake number (DOW) 18029700.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 6/21/1968 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 1,610 | 70.0 |
| 2020 | Walleye | yearlings | 560 | 70.0 |
| 2017 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 1,190 | 70.0 |
2 fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | - Access through channel from East Fox. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass | Standard electrofishing | 90.00 | 135 | 0.91 |
| Walleye | Standard electrofishing | 2.00 | 3 | 0.36 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 8.56 | 77 | 1.95 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard gill nets | 3.67 | 33 | 1.06 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 2.78 | 25 | 0.32 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 2.56 | 23 | 0.14 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard gill nets | 2.11 | 19 | 0.79 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard gill nets | 1.56 | 14 | 0.41 |
| Rock bass | Standard gill nets | 1.33 | 12 | 0.34 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 0.89 | 8 | 3.41 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 7.33 | 66 | 0.09 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 5.67 | 51 | 0.36 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 2.89 | 26 | 0.86 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 2.11 | 19 | 0.43 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 1.44 | 13 | 0.21 |
| Bowfin (dogfish) | Standard trap nets | 1.11 | 10 | 5.72 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard trap nets | 1.00 | 9 | 1.41 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 0.44 | 4 | 0.29 |
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.
West Fox Lake is a 449-acre lake near the town of Fifty Lakes in Crow Wing County. There is no public access on West Fox Lake, however it is possible to navigate from East Fox Lake which has a public access on the west side of the lake. Northern Pike is the primary management species, with Walleye and Largemouth Bass listed as secondary management species. The management plan calls for 69 pounds of Walleye fingerlings to be stocked annually. A standard survey using gill nets, trap nets, and spring electrofishing was conducted in July 2025 to assess fish populations and provide angler information. Northern Pike numbers (8.6 per net) were down from previous surveys, with fish up to 32 inches captured. With 78% of the fish below the 22-to-26-inch protected slot, anglers should have good opportunities to harvest fish as well as a shot at a trophy with 11% of the fish above the slot. Releasing larger Pike is encouraged to help maintain the quality size. The Largemouth Bass electrofishing catch in 2025 (90.0 per hour) was the first survey for the lake. Bass ranged in length from 5.1 to 17.2 inches with the average length of 11.1 inches. The Walleye catch was the lowest recorded for the lake (0.9 per net), with the length ranging from 13.5 to 24.9 inches, with 88% of the fish measuring 20 inches or larger. Bluegill numbers were the lowest recorded for the lake (7.3 per net), with 9 percent measuring 7 inches or larger and 2 percent 8 inches or larger. Black Crappie numbers (2.1 per net) were up from previous surveys, with 49 percent measuring 8 inches or larger. Nice Crappies are present with 23% measuring 10 inches or larger. Other species sampled in the latest survey include Bowfin (Dogfish), Brown Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Tullibee (Cisco), White Sucker, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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