Wisconsin DNR fisheries surveys
Lake St Croix FishingBWater-quality grade B
Wisconsin DNR lists Smallmouth Bass as common on Lake St Croix. In St. Croix County, Wisconsin, Lake St Croix carries an overall water-quality grade of B. Water clarity averages 5.6 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. 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 St Croix
7 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 |
|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | Common |
| Walleye | Common |
| Musky | Present |
| Largemouth Bass | Present |
| Northern Pike | Present |
| Sturgeon | Present |
| Catfish | Present |
Stocking at Lake St Croix
No stocking record for Lake St Croix 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 lists Smallmouth Bass as common on Lake St Croix.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lake St Croix B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. 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. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Lake St Croix covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Population assessment of lake sturgeon in the upper St. Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin 2003-2011Fisheries Survey · WI DNR (PDF)
- —St. Croix River catfish survey, 2020-2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR (PDF)
Common questions
What fish are in Lake St Croix?
Wisconsin DNR lists Smallmouth Bass as common on Lake St Croix. Wisconsin 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 Lake St Croix last surveyed?
No survey date is recorded for Lake St Croix beyond the results themselves. Wisconsin DNR publishes the underlying documents, which carry the sampling dates.
Is Lake St Croix stocked?
No stocking record for Lake St Croix 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 St Croix fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lake St Croix B 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 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 St Croix
Top-rated places to stay near Lake St Croix
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