Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest October 15, 2025
Great Northern Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Great Northern Lake average 53.70 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 19 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated October 15, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–27 inches. In Stearns County, Minnesota, Great Northern 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 4.5 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 Great Northern Lake
21 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 Great Northern Lake
No stocking record for Great Northern 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 Great Northern Lake average 53.70 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 19 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated October 15, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–27 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 Great Northern 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
19 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-15 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 53.70 | 1.52 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 46.90 | — |
| Black Crappie | 34.74 | 0.32 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 19.36 | — |
| Channel Catfish | 19.26 | 1.84 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.02 | 0.63 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.
Walleye
Black Crappie
Channel Catfish
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-10-15 survey
The Sauk River Chain of Lakes (SRCL) is located in south-central Stearns County near the city of Cold Spring. A dam on the Sauk River built in the early 1900s created the SRCL and provides access to over 3,200 acres of connected water, including Bolfing, Great Northern, Knaus, Krays, Schneider, Zumwalde, Cedar Island,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Great Northern Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Great NorthernFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Great Northern Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Great Northern Lake average 53.70 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 19 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated October 15, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–27 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 21 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 Great Northern Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Great Northern Lake is dated October 15, 2025. 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 Great Northern Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Great Northern 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 Great Northern 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 Great Northern 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 Great Northern Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Great Northern Lake
Planning a trip to Great Northern Lake?
Get lake water-quality report cards plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Great Northern Lake — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.