Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 16, 2014
Horseshoe Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Horseshoe Lake average 8.43 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 16, 2014. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–35 inches. In Cass County, Minnesota, Horseshoe Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 8.9 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.
Stocking at Horseshoe Lake
No stocking record for Horseshoe 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 Horseshoe Lake average 8.43 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 16, 2014. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–35 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Horseshoe Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2014-06-16 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Pumpkinseed | 22.01 | 0.25 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 16.70 | 0.22 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.17 | 0.12 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.43 | 1.92 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.98 | 0.89 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.25 | 0.28 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.
Pumpkinseed
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Northern Pike
From the 2014-06-16 survey
Horseshoe Lake (DOW# 11-0284; Lake Class 37) is a 127-acre lake located near Whipholt, MN. There is a US Forest Service-owned carry-in public access on the north shore off of State Highway 200. Horseshoe Lake has 3.27 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 12 feet. The lake is primarily managed for Largemouth Bass…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Horseshoe Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HorseshoeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Horseshoe Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Horseshoe Lake average 8.43 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 16, 2014. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–35 inches. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Horseshoe Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Horseshoe Lake is dated June 16, 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 Horseshoe Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Horseshoe 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 Horseshoe Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Horseshoe Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. 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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