Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 10, 2025
Bullhead Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Bullhead Lake average 29.96 yellow perch per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated June 10, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–9 inches. In Becker County, Minnesota, Bullhead Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Water clarity averages 12.9 feet of visibility, and the lake has public access. 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 Bullhead Lake
14 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 Bullhead 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 surveys at Bullhead Lake average 29.96 yellow perch per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated June 10, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–9 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 Bullhead Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 53.70 | 0.36 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 29.96 | 0.16 lb |
| Bluegill | 22.57 | 0.19 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 16.23 | 0.53 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 8.95 | 0.05 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
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Brown Bullhead
From the 2025-06-10 survey
Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff conducted an assessment of lakeshore habitat on Little Cormorant Lake on June 10th, 2025, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 91 survey sites evenly spaced 400 meters around the lake. Assessments were made in three habitat zones:…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bullhead Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little CormorantFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little CormorantFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little CormorantPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Bullhead Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Bullhead Lake average 29.96 yellow perch per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated June 10, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–9 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 14 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 Bullhead Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Bullhead Lake is dated June 10, 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 Bullhead Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Bullhead 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 Bullhead 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 Bullhead Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 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
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 Bullhead Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Bullhead Lake
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