Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest October 13, 2025
Cedar Island Lake FishingFWater-quality grade F
Minnesota DNR surveys at Cedar Island Lake average 40.58 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 25 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated October 13, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–24 inches. In Stearns County, Minnesota, Cedar Island Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of F. Water clarity averages 3.5 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 Cedar Island Lake
22 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 Cedar Island 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 Cedar Island 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 Cedar Island Lake average 40.58 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 25 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated October 13, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–24 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Cedar Island Lake F from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
25 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-13 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 259.24 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 91.17 | — |
| Walleye | 40.58 | 1.4 lb |
| Black Crappie | 37.24 | 0.53 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.33 | 1.23 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.
Bluntnose Minnow
Walleye
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-10-13 survey
Cedar Island Lake is located near Richmond in south-central Stearns County. A public access is located on the east side of the lake off County Road 71; however, navigable channels connect Cedar Island with Horseshoe Lake and the other downstream lakes within the Sauk River Chain of Lakes (SRCL). Cedar Island Lake has…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cedar Island Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Cedar IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Cedar IslandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Cedar IslandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Cedar Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Cedar Island Lake average 40.58 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 25 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated October 13, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–24 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 22 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 Cedar Island Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Cedar Island Lake is dated October 13, 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 Cedar Island Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Cedar Island 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 Cedar Island Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Cedar Island Lake F from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 4 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 Cedar Island Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Cedar Island Lake
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