Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 18, 2025
Eagles Nest Lake FishingBWater-quality grade B
Minnesota DNR surveys at Eagles Nest Lake average 5.93 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 18, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–25 inches. In St. Louis County, Minnesota, Eagles Nest Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of B. Water clarity averages 15.5 feet of visibility, and there are 2 public boat landings. 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 Eagles Nest Lake
9 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 Eagles Nest Lake
No stocking record for Eagles Nest 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
2 public boat landings are recorded on Eagles Nest 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 Eagles Nest Lake average 5.93 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 18, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–25 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Eagles Nest Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-18 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 13.18 | 0.09 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 7.17 | — |
| Walleye | 5.93 | 1.19 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.59 | 0.19 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.
Yellow Perch
Walleye
Bluegill
From the 2025-08-18 survey
Eagles Nest 3 (69-0285-03) is a 1,028-acre lake located 8 miles east of Tower. It is accessed by a concrete ramp off the Eagles Nest 3 access road which is off the Bear Head Lake State Park Road. A state park vehicle permit is required to launch and park at this access. The lake has a maximum depth of 49 feet and had…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Eagles Nest Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Eagles Nest #3Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Eagles Nest #3 (1876)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Eagles Nest #3Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Eagles Nest Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Eagles Nest Lake average 5.93 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 18, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–25 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 9 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 Eagles Nest Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Eagles Nest Lake is dated August 18, 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 Eagles Nest Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Eagles Nest 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 Eagles Nest Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Eagles Nest Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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 Eagles Nest Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Eagles Nest Lake
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