Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 24, 2023
Species recorded at Fox Lake
17 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 Fox 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 Fox 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 24, 2023 caught 11.60 walleye per gill net at Fox Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Fox Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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: 2023-07-24 (Standard Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2023-07-24 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 47.03 | 8–9 in 2023-07-24 | 0.44 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.58 | 4–8 in 2023-07-24 | 0.17 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 7.28 | 14–19 in 2023-07-24 | 1.12 lb |
| White Bass | 6.86 | 9–14 in 2017-07-24 | 0.8 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.25 | 4–10 in 2023-07-24 | 0.26 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.55 | 2–10 in 2023-07-24 | 0.26 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Freshwater Drum
White Bass
From the 2023-07-24 survey
Fox Lake is a 311-acre lake located in Rice County north of Faribault. The lake has a maximum depth of 47 feet. A DNR-maintained public access and fishing pier are located on the south end of the lake. The west shoreline of the lake is developed with residential houses. Fox Lake is managed primarily for Black Crappie,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fox Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FoxFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FoxFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FoxPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Fox Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 24, 2023 caught 11.60 walleye per gill net at Fox Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 17 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 Fox Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Fox Lake is dated July 24, 2023. 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 Fox Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Fox 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 Fox Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Fox Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
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 Fox Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Fox Lake
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