Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest October 12, 2009
Species recorded at Briar Lake
3 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 Briar 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
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 October 12, 2009 caught 4.33 rainbow trout per trap net at Briar Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–13 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Briar Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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: 2009-10-12 (Standard Survey).
3 surveys on file · most recent 2009-10-12 (Standard Survey)
17 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 13.49 | 5–15 in 2009-10-12 | 0.47 lb |
| Rainbow Trout | 5.27 | 7–13 in 2009-10-12 | 0.47 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.33 | 4–9 in 2009-10-12 | 0.35 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 2.25 | 4–7 in 2009-10-12 | 0.11 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.
White Sucker
Rainbow Trout
Black Bullhead
Golden Shiner
From the 2009-10-12 survey
Briar is a 89 acre lake with 67 acres (75%) of littoral area and a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake is located 13 miles north of Duluth, Minnesota off Highway #44 on County Road #272. The lake has a carry-down access located along the southwest shore. A population assessment (trapnets only) was conducted during the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Briar Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BriarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Briar (0490)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BriarFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BriarPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Briar Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on October 12, 2009 caught 4.33 rainbow trout per trap net at Briar Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–13 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 3 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 Briar Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Briar Lake is dated October 12, 2009. 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 Briar Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Briar 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 Briar Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Briar Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
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 Briar Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Briar Lake
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