Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 22, 2024
Bass Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Bass Lake average 26.46 bluegill per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 22, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–9 inches. In Becker County, Minnesota, Bass Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 12.8 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 Bass 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 Bass Lake
No stocking record for Bass 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 Bass 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 Bass Lake average 26.46 bluegill per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 22, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–9 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bass Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. 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: 2024-07-22 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 26.46 | 0.12 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 8.76 | 0.49 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 7.51 | 0.39 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.
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Yellow Bass
From the 2024-07-22 survey
Bass Lake is a small (128 acre), relatively deep (48-foot maximum depth) lake located in east-central Becker County. The lakeshore is not heavily developed, with much of the north and east shorelines being county tax forfeited land. Becker County's Chilton Park is on the middle of the east shore, consisting of a boat…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bass Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BassFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bass (1205)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BassPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Bass Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Bass Lake average 26.46 bluegill per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 22, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–9 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 Bass Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Bass Lake is dated July 22, 2024. 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 Bass Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Bass 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 Bass Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bass Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. 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.
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