Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest May 28, 2018
Species recorded at Golden Lake
10 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 Golden 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 Golden 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 May 28, 2018 caught 2.50 northern pike per gill net at Golden Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 19–30 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Golden 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
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-05-28 (Standard Survey).
16 surveys on file · most recent 2018-05-28 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 61.73 | 6–12 in 2018-05-28 | 0.35 lb |
| Bluegill | 56.65 | 2–7 in 2018-05-28 | 0.19 lb |
| Black Crappie | 19.05 | 6–8 in 2018-05-28 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 6.29 | 9 in 1994-06-13 | 0.15 lb |
| Channel Catfish | 3.90 | 19 in 2018-05-28 | 2.48 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.63 | 19–30 in 2018-05-28 | 2.41 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
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2018-05-28 survey
Golden Lake is a small (57 acre) class 38 lake located at the lower end of a sub-watershed of the Rice Creek Watershed in the City of Circle Pines. Maximum depth is 25 feet. A portion of the lakeshore is included in a City of Circle Pines park that contains a boat access and shore facilities for a cascade type winter…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Golden Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GoldenFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — GoldenFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GoldenPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Golden Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on May 28, 2018 caught 2.50 northern pike per gill net at Golden Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 19–30 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 10 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 Golden Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Golden Lake is dated May 28, 2018. 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 Golden Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Golden 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 Golden Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Golden 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 Golden Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Golden Lake
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