Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest May 31, 2019
Species recorded at Hoffman Lake
1 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 Hoffman 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.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 31, 2019 caught 98.65 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Hoffman Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–18 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hoffman Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 2019-05-31 (Targeted Survey).
4 surveys on file · most recent 2019-05-31 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 50.07 | 2–9 in 2012-06-11 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 25.59 | 7–12 in 2012-06-11 | 0.37 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 24.39 | 7–18 in 2019-05-31 | 0.96 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 13.43 | 10–17 in 2012-06-11 | 0.62 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 10.15 | 2–8 in 2012-06-11 | 0.23 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 9.76 | 10–13 in 2012-06-11 | 0.64 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
Brown Bullhead
From the 2019-05-31 survey
Hoffman Lake is a 150-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately four miles south of Vergas, MN. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 20 feet; however, the majority of the lake is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hoffman Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HoffmanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Hoffman (1047)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — HoffmanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Hoffman Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 31, 2019 caught 98.65 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Hoffman Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–18 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 1 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 Hoffman Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Hoffman Lake is dated May 31, 2019. 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 Hoffman Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Hoffman 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 Hoffman Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hoffman Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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 Hoffman Lake
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