Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 23, 1984
Johnson Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Johnson Lake average 5.38 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 23, 1984. In Becker County, Minnesota, Johnson Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 9.3 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 Johnson Lake
No stocking record for Johnson 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 Johnson Lake average 5.38 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 23, 1984.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Johnson 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
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1984-07-23 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 38.50 | 0.22 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 24.32 | 0.52 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.38 | 2.31 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.44 | 0.25 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 2.25 | 0.5 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 1.31 | 0.67 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 1984-07-23 survey
NORTHERN PIKE, YELLOW PERCH, AND YELLOW BULLHEAD POPULATIONS ARE ALL WELL-ABOVE STATE AND LOCAL MEDIAN NUMBERS. THE ONLY SPECIES TO SHOW A SIGNIFI CANT DECLINE IN TEST NET CATCH IS THE BLUEGILL- POSSIBLY DUE TO CHANGE IN SURVEY DATE FROM LATE JUNE TO LATE JULY.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Johnson Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — JohnsonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Johnson Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Johnson Lake average 5.38 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 23, 1984. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Johnson Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Johnson Lake is dated July 23, 1984. 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 Johnson Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Johnson 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 Johnson Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Johnson 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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