Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 10, 2018
Deer Yard Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Deer Yard Lake average 17.17 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 9 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 10, 2018. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–28 inches. In Cook County, Minnesota, Deer Yard Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 7.2 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.
Species recorded at Deer Yard Lake
2 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 Deer Yard Lake
No stocking record for Deer Yard 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.
Getting on the water
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Deer Yard Lake average 17.17 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 9 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 10, 2018. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–28 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Deer Yard Lake A 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
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-08-10 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 17.17 | 0.51 lb |
| White Sucker | 9.72 | 1.87 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.
Walleye
White Sucker
From the 2018-08-10 survey
Deer Yard Lake has long been known for supporting very high numbers of small Walleye, with no panfish and no other gamefish species present. The current (2012) lake management plan set goals for Walleye of maintaining a high gill net catch (20 fish/set), with a mean weight for fish taken in gill nets of at least 0.7…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Deer Yard Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Deer YardFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Deer Yard (1798)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Deer YardPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Deer Yard Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Deer Yard Lake average 17.17 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 9 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 10, 2018. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–28 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 2 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 Deer Yard Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Deer Yard Lake is dated August 10, 2018. 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 Deer Yard Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Deer Yard 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 Deer Yard Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Deer Yard Lake A 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 Deer Yard Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Deer Yard Lake
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