Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest October 13, 2025
Horseshoe Lake FishingFWater-quality grade F
Minnesota DNR surveys at Horseshoe Lake average 56.07 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 26 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated October 13, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–22 inches. In Stearns County, Minnesota, Horseshoe Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of F. Water clarity averages 4.0 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. 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 Horseshoe Lake
25 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.
- black bullhead
- black crappie
- bluegill
- bowfin (dogfish)
- brown bullhead
- channel catfish
- common carp
- golden redhorse
- greater redhorse
- green sunfish
- hybrid sunfish
- largemouth bass
- muskellunge
- northern pike
- pumpkinseed
- redhorse
- river redhorse
- rock bass
- shorthead redhorse
- silver redhorse
- smallmouth bass
- walleye
- white sucker
- yellow bullhead
- yellow perch
Stocking at Horseshoe 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 Horseshoe Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Horseshoe Lake average 56.07 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 26 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated October 13, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–22 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Horseshoe Lake F from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
26 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-13 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 56.07 | 1.42 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 44.60 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.97 | — |
| Bluegill | 15.32 | 0.27 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 13.28 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.12 | 0.78 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
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-10-13 survey
Horseshoe Lake is located near Richmond in south-central Stearns County. A public access is located on the Sauk River one-half mile upstream from the lake; however, navigable channels connect Horseshoe with Cedar Island Lake and the other downstream lakes within the Sauk River Chain of Lakes (SRCL). Horseshoe Lake has…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Horseshoe Lake. 3 reports 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
- —Fish Stocking History — HorseshoeFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HorseshoePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Horseshoe Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Horseshoe Lake average 56.07 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 26 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated October 13, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–22 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 25 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 Horseshoe Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Horseshoe Lake is dated October 13, 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 Horseshoe Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Horseshoe 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.
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 F from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 4 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 Horseshoe Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Horseshoe Lake
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