Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 14, 1997
Little Carnelian Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Carnelian Lake average 4.30 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 14, 1997. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–31 inches. In Washington County, Minnesota, Little Carnelian Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 20.0 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 Little Carnelian Lake
10 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 Carnelian Lake
No stocking record for Little Carnelian 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 Little Carnelian Lake average 4.30 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 14, 1997. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–31 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Carnelian Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1997-07-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 37.52 | 0.11 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 7.40 | 0.17 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.30 | 1.82 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 3.67 | 0.04 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 2.89 | 0.68 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.48 | 0.18 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
Hybrid Sunfish
Northern Pike
Green Sunfish
From the 1997-07-14 survey
There is no public access on Little Carnelian Lake so fishing opportunity is limited. Therefore, no stocking is conducted by DNR. The lack of public access also limits angling to riparian owners and their guests.Bluegill are the most abundant species. The 1997 netting shows a dramatic increase in the bluegill…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Carnelian Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little CarnelianFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Little Carnelian Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Carnelian Lake average 4.30 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 14, 1997. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–31 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 10 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 Carnelian Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Little Carnelian Lake is dated July 14, 1997. 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 Carnelian Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Little Carnelian 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 Carnelian Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Carnelian Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 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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