Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 22, 2014
Ghost Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Ghost Lake average 6.53 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 22, 2014. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–26 inches. In Itasca County, Minnesota, Ghost Lake has no letter grade — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Water clarity averages 13.0 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.
Species recorded at Ghost Lake
6 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 Ghost Lake
No stocking record for Ghost 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
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Ghost Lake average 6.53 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 22, 2014. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–26 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 Ghost Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2014-07-22 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 33.51 | 0.24 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 14.78 | 0.21 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.53 | 2.73 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.95 | 1.37 lb |
| Walleye | 2.69 | 2.87 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.44 | 0.21 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
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Largemouth Bass
From the 2014-07-22 survey
Dead Horse Lake is located about four miles southwest of Marcel, MN in the Bigfork River watershed. Dead Horse has a total surface area of 97 acres, a littoral area of 54 acres (56%), and a maximum depth of 30 feet. There is no connectivity to facilitate fish passage. The small outlet drains to a wetland which the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ghost Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Dead HorseFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Dead Horse (0734)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Dead HorsePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Ghost Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Ghost Lake average 6.53 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 22, 2014. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–26 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 6 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 Ghost Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Ghost Lake is dated July 22, 2014. 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 Ghost Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Ghost 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 Ghost 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 Ghost Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
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 Ghost Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Ghost Lake
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