Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 31, 1972
Indian Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Indian Lake average 4.00 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 31, 1972. In Otter Tail County, Minnesota, Indian 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 8.5 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 Indian Lake
7 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 Indian Lake
No stocking record for Indian 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 Indian Lake average 4.00 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 31, 1972.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Indian 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
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1972-07-31 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 39.00 | 0.23 lb |
| Bluegill | 23.09 | 0.3 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 7.83 | 0.06 lb |
| Walleye | 4.00 | 1.44 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.08 | 2.28 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.58 | 2.78 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.
From the 1972-07-31 survey
Compared to their respective statewide medians, the test net catch rates of northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish were all sampled in above average numbers. The catch rates of yellow perch and bluegills were especially high. Pumpkinseeds and black crappies were sampled in…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Indian Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — IndianFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Indian Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Indian Lake average 4.00 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 31, 1972. Minnesota DNR lists 7 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 Indian Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Indian Lake is dated July 31, 1972. 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 Indian Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Indian 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 Indian 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 Indian 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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