Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 5, 2025
Ball Club Lake FishingBWater-quality grade B
Minnesota DNR surveys at Ball Club Lake average 3.34 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 5, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–6 inches. In Itasca County, Minnesota, Ball Club Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of B. Water clarity averages 16.0 feet of visibility, and there are 3 public boat landings. 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 Ball Club Lake
11 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 Ball Club 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
3 public boat landings are recorded on Ball Club 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 Ball Club Lake average 3.34 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 5, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–6 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Ball Club Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 110.54 | — |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 17.43 | 0.41 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.68 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.34 | 1.65 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-08-05 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Ball Club Lake, which is located wholly within the Leech Lake Reservation, on August 5th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ball Club Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Ball ClubFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Ball Club (0656)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Ball ClubFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Ball ClubPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Ball Club Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Ball Club Lake average 3.34 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 5, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–6 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 11 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 Ball Club Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Ball Club Lake is dated August 5, 2025. 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 Ball Club Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Ball Club 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 Ball Club Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Ball Club Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 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 Ball Club Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Ball Club Lake
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