Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 17, 2019
Bagley Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Bagley Lake average 8.25 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 17, 2019. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–30 inches. In Clearwater County, Minnesota, Bagley Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 12.1 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 Bagley Lake
7 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 Bagley Lake
No stocking record for Bagley Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Bagley 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 Bagley Lake average 8.25 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 17, 2019. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–30 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bagley Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-06-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 12.56 | 0.28 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.25 | 1.39 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.17 | 0.55 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.98 | 0.2 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 3.43 | 0.9 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.09 | 2.83 lb |
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.
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Black Crappie
Pumpkinseed
From the 2019-06-17 survey
Bagley Lake is a 97-acre lake with a maximum depth of 39 feet located 10 miles north of the town of Leonard in Clearwater County. There is a County-owned public access with an earthen ramp and parking for 3 to 4 trucks/trailers located on the north shore of the lake. Bagley Lake has had a history of winter-kills…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bagley Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BagleyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bagley (1701)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BagleyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Bagley Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Bagley Lake average 8.25 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 17, 2019. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–30 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 7 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 Bagley Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Bagley Lake is dated June 17, 2019. 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 Bagley Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Bagley Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Bagley Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bagley Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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 Bagley Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Bagley Lake
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