Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 17, 1984
Charley Lake FishingDWater-quality grade D
Minnesota DNR surveys at Charley Lake average 7.00 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 17, 1984. In Ramsey County, Minnesota, Charley Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of D. Water clarity averages 4.6 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 Charley Lake
20 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 Charley Lake
No stocking record for Charley 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.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Charley Lake average 7.00 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 17, 1984.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Charley Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 1984-07-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 30.50 | 0.34 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.33 | 0.34 lb |
| Bluegill | 8.22 | 0.31 lb |
| Walleye | 7.00 | 2 lb |
| Common Carp | 4.78 | 3.34 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.50 | 4.96 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 1984-07-17 survey
White sucker, shorthead redhorse, carp, northern pike, walleye, white crappie, and black crappie were sampled at or above local median levels. Black, brown, and yellow bullheads, yellow perch, and bluegill were found at below local median levels. Shorthead redhorse probably entered Charley Lake with water pumped from…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Charley Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CharleyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Charley Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Charley Lake average 7.00 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 17, 1984. Minnesota DNR lists 20 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 Charley Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Charley Lake is dated July 17, 1984. 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 Charley Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Charley 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 Charley Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Charley Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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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