Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 14, 2021
Species recorded at Bay 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 Bay 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 Bay 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 June 14, 2021 caught 1.00 walleye per gill net at Bay Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bay Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. 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: 2021-06-14 (Standard Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2021-06-14 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 31.39 | ||
| Bluegill | 26.29 | 2–8 in 2021-06-14 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.36 | 5–17 in 2021-06-14 | 0.99 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.77 | 10–35 in 2021-06-14 | 1.43 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2021-06-14 survey
Bay Lake is a popular 2,392 acre lake located five miles south of Deerwood in Crow Wing County. Development is heavy on its 24.3 miles of shoreline. Maximum depth is 74 feet, with 42% of the lake 15 feet deep or less. The lone public access located on the west shore of the northwest bay can get very crowded at times.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bay Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BayFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bay (0010)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BayFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BayPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Bay Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 2021 caught 1.00 walleye per gill net at Bay Lake. 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 Bay Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Bay Lake is dated June 14, 2021. 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 Bay Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Bay 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 Bay Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bay Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. 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 Bay Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Bay Lake
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