Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 6, 2025
Little Bass Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Bass Lake average 4.59 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 9 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 6, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–18 inches. In Itasca County, Minnesota, Little Bass Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Water clarity averages 17.7 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. 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 Little Bass Lake
13 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 Little Bass Lake
No stocking record for Little Bass 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.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Little Bass Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Bass Lake average 4.59 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 9 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 6, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–18 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Little Bass Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-06 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 15.72 | 0.23 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.59 | 0.78 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.47 | 2.03 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 3.94 | 1.08 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.52 | 0.19 lb |
| Rock Bass | 2.37 | 0.38 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
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2025-08-06 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Little Bass Lake on August 6th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Bass Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little BassFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Bass (0596)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little BassPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Little Bass Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Bass Lake average 4.59 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 9 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 6, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–18 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 13 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 Little Bass Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Little Bass Lake is dated August 6, 2025. 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 Little Bass Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Little Bass 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 Little Bass 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 Little Bass Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. 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.
Where to stay near Little Bass Lake
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