Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 14, 2021
Brooks Lake FishingCWater-quality grade C
Minnesota DNR surveys at Brooks Lake average 24.34 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 14, 2021. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–20 inches. In Wright County, Minnesota, Brooks Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of C. Water clarity averages 5.6 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. 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 Brooks Lake
6 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 Brooks Lake
No stocking record for Brooks Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Brooks 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 Brooks Lake average 24.34 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 14, 2021. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–20 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Brooks Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 415.38 | 0.35 lb |
| Bluegill | 33.54 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 24.34 | 1.26 lb |
| Black Crappie | 19.21 | 0.12 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.96 | 4.05 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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
From the 2021-06-14 survey
Brooks Lake is a 96-acre lake located in southwestern Wright County near the City of Cokato. The lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet with a summer water clarity of over five feet. There is a city administered public boat access as well as a fishing pier located within Veterans Memorial Park on the east side of the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Brooks Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BrooksFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BrooksPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Brooks Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Brooks Lake average 24.34 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 14, 2021. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–20 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 6 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 Brooks Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Brooks Lake is dated June 14, 2021. 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 Brooks Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Brooks Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Brooks Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Brooks Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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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