Wisconsin DNR fisheries surveys
Lake Mendota FishingDWater-quality grade D
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Lake Mendota. In Dane County, Wisconsin, Lake Mendota carries an overall water-quality grade of D. Water clarity averages 5.0 feet of visibility, and there are 9 public boat landings. The survey figures on this page are Wisconsin 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 Lake Mendota
8 species on the Wisconsin 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.
How abundant each species is
Wisconsin DNR rates abundance from its own survey record rather than publishing a catch rate per species. The ratings below are theirs.
| Species | Abundance |
|---|---|
| Panfish | Abundant |
| Largemouth Bass | Common |
| Smallmouth Bass | Common |
| Northern Pike | Common |
| Walleye | Common |
| Catfish | Common |
| Musky | Present |
| Sturgeon | Present |
Stocking at Lake Mendota
No stocking record for Lake Mendota appears in the Wisconsin 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
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Lake Mendota.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lake Mendota D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 12 stations on file (most recent sample 2026).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Lake Mendota covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Lake Mendota gill netting survey, 2020-2024Netting Survey · WI DNR (PDF)
Common questions
What fish are in Lake Mendota?
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Lake Mendota. Wisconsin DNR lists 8 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 Lake Mendota last surveyed?
No survey date is recorded for Lake Mendota beyond the results themselves. Wisconsin DNR publishes the underlying documents, which carry the sampling dates.
Is Lake Mendota stocked?
No stocking record for Lake Mendota appears in the Wisconsin 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 Lake Mendota fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lake Mendota D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 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 Wisconsin waters comes from WI DNR/DHS, 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 Lake Mendota
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Mendota
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