Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest September 22, 2025
Belle Lake FishingDWater-quality grade D
Minnesota DNR surveys at Belle Lake average 34.23 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 33 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 22, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–14 inches. In Meeker County, Minnesota, Belle Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of D. Water clarity averages 3.9 feet of visibility, and there are 2 public boat landings. 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 Belle Lake
16 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 Belle 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
2 public boat landings are recorded on Belle 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 Belle Lake average 34.23 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 33 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 22, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–14 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Belle Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
33 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-22 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 110.22 | 0.01 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 43.65 | 0.43 lb |
| Walleye | 34.23 | 1.67 lb |
| Black Crappie | 13.19 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.51 | 0.14 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 7.79 | 0.11 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.
Spottail Shiner
Black Bullhead
Walleye
Black Crappie
From the 2025-09-22 survey
A targeted survey (fall nighttime electrofishing) was conducted on Belle Lake on September 22nd, 2025, to evaluate young of the year (YOY) and yearling Walleye abundance. A total of 27 YOY were sampled for a catch rate of 27.0 fish/hr., which was below the lake's historical (1993 to 2025) median (52.2 fish/hr.). This…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Belle Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Belle LakeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Belle LakeFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Belle LakePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Belle Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Belle Lake average 34.23 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 33 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 22, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–14 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 16 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 Belle Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Belle Lake is dated September 22, 2025. 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 Belle Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Belle 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.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Belle Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Belle Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. 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 Belle Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Belle Lake
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