Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest October 3, 2024
Species recorded at Briggs Lake
21 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 Briggs 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 Briggs Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Briggs Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–23 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Briggs Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
18 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-10-03 (Targeted Survey).
18 surveys on file · most recent 2024-10-03 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 32.01 | 6–23 in 2024-10-03 | 1.43 lb |
| Black Crappie | 21.91 | 3–11 in 2024-08-12 | 0.3 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 14.67 | ||
| Bluegill | 14.17 | 3 in 2024-08-12 | 0.18 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.13 | 5–8 in 2024-08-12 | 0.13 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.
Walleye
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-10-03 survey
The Briggs Chain of Lakes is made up of Briggs, Julia and Rush lakes which are connected by a navigable channel. Walleye fry have been stocked into the chain every other year since 1992. Night electrofishing was conducted during the evening of October 3, 2024. A total of nine young of year (YOY) Walleye were collected…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Briggs Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BriggsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BriggsFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BriggsPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Briggs Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Briggs Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–23 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 21 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 Briggs Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Briggs Lake is dated October 3, 2024. 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 Briggs Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Briggs 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 Briggs Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Briggs Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 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 Briggs Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Briggs Lake
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