Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 18, 2025
Species recorded at Ban Lake
9 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 Ban 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 Ban Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 0.44 walleye per gill net at Ban Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ban Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-18 (Standard Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-18 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 7.27 | 5–7 in 2025-08-18 | 0.1 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.11 | 3–9 in 2025-08-18 | 0.24 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.49 | 4–12 in 2025-08-18 | 0.31 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.32 | 8–19 in 2025-08-18 | 1.96 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 1.94 | 7–17 in 2025-08-18 | 1 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.86 | 16–38 in 2025-08-18 | 2.99 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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
Bluegill
Black Crappie
White Sucker
From the 2025-08-18 survey
Ban Lake is located approximately seven miles east of Orr, Minnesota. This 389-acre lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet and dark tannin-stained water. A fisheries survey was completed on Ban Lake in 2025 as part of a regular rotation of surveys in the International Falls Fisheries Management Area. Ban Lake follows…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ban Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Ban Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 0.44 walleye per gill net at Ban Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 9 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 Ban Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Ban Lake is dated August 18, 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 Ban Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Ban 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.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Ban Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ban Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are 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 with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Ban Lake
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