Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 18, 2002
Hawksnest Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Hawksnest Lake average 29.75 yellow perch per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 18, 2002. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–13 inches. In Lincoln County, Minnesota, Hawksnest Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Water clarity averages 6.6 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.
Stocking at Hawksnest Lake
No stocking record for Hawksnest 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 Hawksnest Lake average 29.75 yellow perch per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 18, 2002. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–13 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 Hawksnest 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
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2002-06-18 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 2962.00 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 150.75 | 0.18 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 29.75 | 0.2 lb |
| White Sucker | 0.10 | 1.63 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
From the 2002-06-18 survey
Hawks Nest is a shallow, 282 acres lake located three miles east of Ivanhoe in southwest Minnesota. Due to the shallow and productive nature of the lake, it is prone to winterkill. The latest winterkill occurred during the winter of 2000/2001. This winterkill apparently eliminated yellow perch from the lake. An…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hawksnest Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HawksnestFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Hawksnest Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Hawksnest Lake average 29.75 yellow perch per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 18, 2002. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–13 inches. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Hawksnest Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Hawksnest Lake is dated June 18, 2002. 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 Hawksnest Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Hawksnest 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 Hawksnest 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 Hawksnest 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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