Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 28, 2025
Species recorded at Cowdry Lake
19 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 Cowdry 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 Cowdry Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Cowdry Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cowdry Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 28.13 | 2–18 in 2025-07-28 | 0.82 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 27.02 | ||
| Bluegill | 22.22 | 3–8 in 2025-07-28 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 8.25 | 6–13 in 2025-07-28 | 0.67 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Bullhead
From the 2025-07-28 survey
Lake Cowdry is a 243-acre moderately fertile basin located a few miles northwest of downtown Alexandria in Douglas County. Maximum and mean depths are approximately 52 and 25 feet, respectively. Lake Cowdry lies within the Long Prairie River watershed. Primary inflows come from Taylor Lake via a navigable (small boats…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cowdry Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CowdryFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CowdryFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CowdryPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Cowdry Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Cowdry Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 19 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 Cowdry Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Cowdry Lake is dated July 28, 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 Cowdry Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Cowdry 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.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Cowdry Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cowdry Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 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
Water-quality readings are 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 with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Cowdry Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Cowdry Lake
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