White Bear Lake

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

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 82016700

DNR records show 47 stocking entries at White Bear Lake since 2016, most recently muskellunge fingerlings in 2025 (2,725 fish).

• White Bear Lake has 47 DNR stocking records across 10 years (2016-2025): walleye (34), muskellunge (13).
• The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 156,854 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 83 ft, mean depth 20 ft; surface area 2,428 acres, 1,314 littoral acres, 13.6 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 12.5 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, and 6 more.
• 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: July 15, 2024 (targeted survey).
• Washington County, nearest town White Bear Lake; DNR lake number (DOW) 82016700.

Depth map

Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 5/1/1978 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.

Stocking history

² fish purchased by the DNR for stocking. ⁹ fish cooperatively purchased, raised, and/or stocked by DNR and other agencies or sporting groups.

Public accesses

DNR fish survey, 2024

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.

White Bear Lake is a mesotrophic, class 22 lake located in Ramsey and Washington Counties. The Lake has a maximum depth of 83 feet and is 2,427 acres in surface area, with 1,314 littoral acres (54.4%). The primary management species are Walleye and Muskellunge, and the secondary management species are Largemouth Bass and Black Crappie. Since 2017 Walleye fingerlings have been stocked at variable rates of 1.0 pound per littoral acre (1,314 pounds) or 0.65 pounds per littoral acre (854 pounds) to assess the effect of stocking rate on Walleye year class strength. Muskellunge are stocked at rate of 1.0 fish per littoral acre (1,314 fish), when available. Supplemental stocking of Muskellunge has occurred under permit by local sportsman clubs. All Muskellunge stocked in White Bear Lake since 1990 have been the Leech Lake strain. Muskellunge population estimates are produced using 2-year mark and recapture surveys that occur every 8 years using Spring trap netting. The next mark and recapture survey for Muskellunge is scheduled to occur in 2028 and 2029. Gill net surveys to monitor Walleye, Northern Pike, and Yellow Perch occur every two years, and this report details the most recent gill net survey conducted in July of 2024. The previous gill net survey occurred in 2022. Walleyes were sampled using gill nets at a rate of 1.5 fish per net. This catch rate is low, but not unusual for White Bear Lake. The mid-range management goal is to maintain a catch rate of 4 Walleyes per net. Within the last 25 years, this goal has only been met in 1999 and 2012. Although slightly lower than the previous gill net survey, average size was relatively large at 18.4 inches in length. Walleye lengths ranged from 5.4 to 21.6 inches, and most fish were 4-6 years old. Northern Pike were sampled at a rate of 11.6 fish per gill net. This catch rate is the highest catch rate since 1999. Size was above average for the lake class with a mean length of 22.5 inches in. This is the largest average length for White Bear Lake in recent history. Northern Pike ranged from 15.6 to 32.4 inches in length, and about 3% of fish were 30 inches or longer. Yellow Perch were sampled at a rate of 1.2 fish per gill net. This catch rate is relatively low, but not uncommon for surveys in the last decade on White Bear Lake. Even in years of higher catch rates, White Bear Lake has never exceeded the average Yellow Perch catch rate for the lake class. Average size was just 6.5 inches in length. Fish ranged from 6 to 7.1 inches in length. Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Black Crappie were also sampled in gill…

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, July 15, 2024.

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