Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest May 16, 2023
Species recorded at Bella Lake
12 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 Bella 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 Bella 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 19, 2017 caught 3.67 walleye per gill net at Bella Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bella Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-16 (Targeted Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2023-05-16 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 2857.14 | ||
| Black Bullhead | 47.47 | 3–9 in 2017-06-19 | 0.19 lb |
| Common Carp | 14.35 | 11–30 in 2017-06-19 | 2.65 lb |
| Bigmouth Buffalo | 12.90 | 11–27 in 2017-06-19 | 4.7 lb |
| White Crappie | 12.80 | 8–12 in 2017-06-19 | 0.36 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 5.07 | 6–26 in 2017-06-19 | 0.9 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.
Black Bullhead
Common Carp
Bigmouth Buffalo
White Crappie
From the 2023-05-16 survey
Bella Lake is a 182-acre reservoir located 8 miles south of the City of Worthington, in Nobles County. On a year with average water level fluctuations, the lake has a maximum depth of 14 ft. Bella Lake serves as an aquifer replenishment reservoir for Worthington municipal water supplies, and thus has substantial water…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bella Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BellaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BellaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BellaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Bella Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 19, 2017 caught 3.67 walleye per gill net at Bella Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 12 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 Bella Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Bella Lake is dated May 16, 2023. 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 Bella Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Bella 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 Bella Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bella 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 Bella Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Bella Lake
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