Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 14, 2008
Gale Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Gale Lake average 2.42 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 14, 2008. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–27 inches. In Itasca County, Minnesota, Gale Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Water clarity averages 17.1 feet of visibility. 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 Gale Lake
7 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 Gale Lake
No stocking record for Gale 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 Gale Lake average 2.42 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 14, 2008. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–27 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Gale Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2008-07-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 6.21 | 0.26 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.02 | 0.1 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.42 | 1.77 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.13 | 0.48 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 1.13 | 1.04 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 0.63 | 0.15 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.
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Northern Pike
Black Crappie
From the 2008-07-14 survey
Gale Lake is located 9 miles southeast of Bigfork, MN in the Big Fork River watershed. The lake has a surface area of 73 acres and a maximum depth of 50 feet. Gale Lake is in ecological lake class #28. Other area lakes in this class include Arrowhead, Batson and Raddison Lakes. Gale Lake has no developed public…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Gale Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GaleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Gale (0721)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Gale Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Gale Lake average 2.42 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 14, 2008. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–27 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 7 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 Gale Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Gale Lake is dated July 14, 2008. 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 Gale Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Gale 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 Gale Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Gale Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. 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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