Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 5, 1985
Foster Lake FishingFWater-quality grade F
Minnesota DNR surveys at Foster Lake average 2.50 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 5, 1985. In Wright County, Minnesota, Foster Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of F. Water clarity averages 1.6 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.
Stocking at Foster Lake
No stocking record for Foster 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 Foster Lake average 2.50 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 5, 1985.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Foster Lake F 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
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1985-06-05 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 46.75 | 0.26 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.50 | 2.3 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.50 | 0.24 lb |
| White Sucker | 0.50 | 0.4 lb |
| Bluegill | 0.50 | 0.25 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 1985-06-05 survey
Northern Pike abundance is about average (2/gill net, 3/trap net) for this area. Ages 2-6 were sampled and growth is above average. Condition appears poor. Black Crappie (3/trap net) is the most abundant panfish. Only two age classes were sampled and growth is above average. Bluegill are scarce (0.5/trap net), as are…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Foster Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FosterFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Foster Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Foster Lake average 2.50 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 5, 1985. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Foster Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Foster Lake is dated June 5, 1985. 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 Foster Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Foster 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 Foster Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Foster Lake F 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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