Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 1, 2024
Lake of the Isles FishingDWater-quality grade D
Minnesota DNR surveys at Lake of the Isles average 2.18 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 11 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 1, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–32 inches. In Hennepin County, Minnesota, Lake of the Isles carries an overall water-quality grade of D. Water clarity averages 5.2 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 Lake of the Isles
14 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 Lake of the Isles
No stocking record for Lake of the Isles 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 Lake of the Isles average 2.18 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 11 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 1, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–32 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lake of the Isles D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-01 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 44.77 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.95 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 5.22 | 0.52 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.86 | 0.1 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.18 | 3.67 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.
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.
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-01 survey
Lake of the Isles is a 112 acre lake located in the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes. The lake has a maximum depth of 31 feet, but the majority of the lake is less than 15 feet deep. Vegetation can be very abundant in Lake of the Isles, which may create challenges for angling. Lake of the Isles is not stocked, however…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lake of the Isles. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lake of the IslesFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Lake of the Isles?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Lake of the Isles average 2.18 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 11 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 1, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–32 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 14 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 of the Isles last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Lake of the Isles is dated July 1, 2024. 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 Lake of the Isles stocked?
No stocking record for Lake of the Isles 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 Lake of the Isles fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lake of the Isles D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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.
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