Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 11, 1981
Kidney Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Kidney Lake average 0.67 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 11, 1981. In Cass County, Minnesota, Kidney 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 11.5 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.
Stocking at Kidney Lake
No stocking record for Kidney 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 Kidney Lake average 0.67 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 11, 1981.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Kidney Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1981-08-11 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 6.25 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.67 | 0.12 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 0.75 | 0.32 lb |
| Northern Pike | 0.67 | 4.62 lb |
| Black Crappie | 0.50 | 0.75 lb |
| White Sucker | 0.33 | 2 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 1981-08-11 survey
Additional Field Notes: Two adult loons sightedPresent Fish Population Status: Test netting indicates a poor population of all species of fish. Local reports indicate fair largemouth bass and black crappie fishing.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Kidney Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — KidneyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Kidney Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Kidney Lake average 0.67 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 11, 1981. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Kidney Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Kidney Lake is dated August 11, 1981. 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 Kidney Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Kidney 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 Kidney 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 Kidney Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
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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