Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 11, 2022
Bad Medicine Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Bad Medicine Lake average 10.28 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 14 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 11, 2022. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 20–20 inches. In Becker County, Minnesota, Bad Medicine Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 25.0 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. The survey figures on this page are Minnesota DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Species recorded at Bad Medicine Lake
13 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Bad Medicine Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Bad Medicine Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Bad Medicine Lake average 10.28 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 14 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 11, 2022. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 20–20 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bad Medicine Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-11 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 34.17 | 2.4 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 18.29 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.28 | 1.25 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 9.62 | — |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
White Sucker
Largemouth Bass
From the 2022-07-11 survey
Bad Medicine is a four mile long, narrow, 800-acre, 84 foot deep, clear water lake located in northeastern Becker County and within the White Earth Indian Reservation. The lake has steep, primarily rocky, slopes near shore. Although the lake lies within the Mississippi River drainage, it has no outlet and is primarily…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bad Medicine Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Bad MedicineFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bad Medicine (1226)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Bad MedicineFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Bad MedicinePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Bad Medicine Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Bad Medicine Lake average 10.28 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 14 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 11, 2022. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 20–20 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 13 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Bad Medicine Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Bad Medicine Lake is dated July 11, 2022. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Bad Medicine Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Bad Medicine Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Bad Medicine Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bad Medicine Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
A water-quality grade is not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class — a lake can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Bad Medicine Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Bad Medicine Lake
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