Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 12, 2001
Belmont Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Belmont Lake average 7.84 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 3 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 12, 2001. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–30 inches. In Otter Tail County, Minnesota, Belmont 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 14.0 feet of visibility. 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 Belmont Lake
10 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 Belmont 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.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Belmont Lake average 7.84 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 3 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 12, 2001. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–30 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Belmont 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
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2001-06-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 62.71 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 23.40 | 0.44 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 13.20 | 0.14 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.84 | 1.2 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.75 | 0.26 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.47 | 0.15 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
Yellow Bass
Pumpkinseed
Northern Pike
From the 2001-06-12 survey
Belmont Lake is located in south-central Otter Tail County approximately five miles south of Clitherall, MN. Belmont Lake is a 192-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake that is part of the Otter Tail River Watershed. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of mixed hardwood forest cover interspersed with…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Belmont Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BelmontFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BelmontFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Belmont Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Belmont Lake average 7.84 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 3 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 12, 2001. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–30 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 10 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 Belmont Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Belmont Lake is dated June 12, 2001. 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 Belmont Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Belmont 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 Belmont 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 Belmont 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.
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