Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 17, 2023
Species recorded at Garden Lake
12 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 Garden 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 Garden 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 17, 2023 caught 4.11 walleye per gill net at Garden Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–30 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Garden Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-17 (Standard Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2023-07-17 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 3.76 | 7–14 in 2017-08-14 | 0.42 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.92 | 5–11 in 2023-07-17 | 0.16 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.89 | 6–21 in 2023-07-17 | 2.24 lb |
| Walleye | 1.78 | 3–30 in 2023-07-17 | 0.96 lb |
| Bluegill | 1.50 | 3–9 in 2023-07-17 | 0.4 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
Walleye
From the 2023-07-17 survey
Garden Lake is five miles east of Ely, covers 653 acres, and is one of three connected lakes that with Farm and South Farm comprise the Garden Reservoir. This system is also connected to White Iron Lake via the South Kawishiwi River. A public access with a concrete plank boat ramp is located near the northwest corner…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Garden Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GardenFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Garden (1888)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — GardenFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GardenPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Garden Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 17, 2023 caught 4.11 walleye per gill net at Garden Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–30 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 12 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 Garden Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Garden Lake is dated July 17, 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 Garden Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Garden 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 Garden Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Garden Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 Garden Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Garden Lake
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