Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 17, 2003
Barry Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Barry Lake average 4960.00 fathead minnow per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 17, 2003. In Big Stone County, Minnesota, Barry Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Water clarity averages 0.8 feet of visibility, and the lake has public access. 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 Barry Lake
6 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 Barry Lake
No stocking record for Barry 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
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Barry Lake average 4960.00 fathead minnow per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 17, 2003.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Barry Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2003-07-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 4960.00 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 196.11 | 0.12 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.
Black Bullhead
From the 2003-07-17 survey
This was an initial investigaton of Barry Lake, a 393 acre lake located entirely within a USFWS Waterfowl Production Area in northwest Big Stone County. Above average precipitation over the last 10 years has increaced the water level of Barry Lake approximately 4 feet according to flooded timber located on west and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Barry Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BarryFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BarryPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Barry Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Barry Lake average 4960.00 fathead minnow per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 17, 2003. Minnesota DNR lists 6 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 Barry Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Barry Lake is dated July 17, 2003. 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 Barry Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Barry 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 Barry Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Barry Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. 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 Barry Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Barry Lake
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