Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 5, 2024
Carver Lake FishingDWater-quality grade D
Minnesota DNR surveys at Carver Lake average 4.50 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 5, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–32 inches. In Washington County, Minnesota, Carver Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of D. Water clarity averages 7.4 feet of visibility. 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 Carver Lake
13 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 Carver 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 Carver Lake average 4.50 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 5, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–32 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Carver Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-05 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 32.00 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 27.60 | 0.36 lb |
| Black Crappie | 10.60 | 0.15 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.50 | 2.88 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 2.88 | 0.52 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.
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Northern Pike
From the 2024-08-05 survey
Carver Lake is a 50-acre (24 littoral acre), class 30 lake in Woodbury that has fair water clarity and a typical fish community for a lake in the metro area. The lake is currently managed by the Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN) program. A large city park on the lake offers many amenities including a swimming beach,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Carver Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CarverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CarverFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Carver Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Carver Lake average 4.50 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 5, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–32 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 13 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 Carver Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Carver Lake is dated August 5, 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 Carver Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Carver 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 Carver Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Carver Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
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 Carver Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Carver Lake
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