Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 10, 1987
Bass Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Bass Lake average 4.88 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 10, 1987. In Becker County, Minnesota, Bass Lake has no letter grade — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Water clarity averages 11.2 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.
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 4.88 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 10, 1987.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Bass Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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: 1987-08-10 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 19.07 | 0.12 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 11.56 | 0.35 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 7.63 | 0.18 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.88 | 1.07 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.94 | 0.11 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.81 | 0.16 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.
From the 1987-08-10 survey
BLUEGILL, NORTHERN PIKE AND LARGEMOUTH BASS NUMBERS ARE ALL ABOVE STATE AND LOCAL MEDIANS. YELLOW BULLHEAD NUMBERS ARE OVER TWICE THE STATE AND LOCAL AVERAGES WITH YELLOW PERCH NUMBERS FALLING BELOW BOTH OF THE MEDIANS.
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 (1215)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 4.88 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 10, 1987. 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 August 10, 1987. 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 does not assign an A–F grade on Bass Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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 Bass Lake
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