Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 20, 1990
Cable Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Cable Lake average 4.79 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 20, 1990. In Polk County, Minnesota, Cable Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 10.2 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.
Stocking at Cable 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 Cable Lake average 4.79 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 20, 1990.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Cable Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1990-08-20 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 81.59 | 0.17 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 8.75 | 0.34 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.25 | 0.24 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.17 | 0.15 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.79 | 2.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.67 | 0.3 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.
From the 1990-08-20 survey
NORTHERN PIKE RECRUITMENT APPEARS SPORADIC ALTHOUG H ABUNDANCE IS AVERAGE FOR SIMILAR LAKE TYPES. GR OWTH RATES ARE RAPID AND AVERAGE WEIGHTS ARE ABOVE NORMAL (>4 LB.) FOR PIKE. THE INCREASING BLUE- GILL POPULATION EXHIBITS AVERAGE ABUNDANCE AND GOO D INDIVIDUAL GROWTH RATES. BLACK CRAPPIE NUMBERS ARE LOW BUT HAVE…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cable Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CableFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CableFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Cable Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Cable Lake average 4.79 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 20, 1990. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Cable Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Cable Lake is dated August 20, 1990. 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 Cable Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Cable 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 Cable Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Cable Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 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.
Where to stay near Cable Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Cable Lake
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