Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 7, 2023
Lower Bottle Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Lower Bottle Lake average 9.16 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 12 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 7, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–22 inches. In Hubbard County, Minnesota, Lower Bottle Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 15.0 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 Lower Bottle 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 Lower Bottle Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Lower Bottle Lake average 9.16 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 12 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 7, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–22 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lower Bottle Lake A 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
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-07 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 38.07 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 22.93 | 0.13 lb |
| Walleye | 9.16 | 1.51 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.
Yellow Perch
Walleye
From the 2023-08-07 survey
Lower Bottle Lake is located four miles north of Dorset in southern Hubbard County. Lower Bottle is separated by a narrows from Upper Bottle, both lakes having similar fish communities and are generally managed together. Lower Bottle has a surface area of 641 acres and a maximum depth of 110 feet. A state-owned public…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lower Bottle Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lower BottleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Lower BottleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Lower Bottle Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Lower Bottle Lake average 9.16 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 12 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 7, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–22 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 Lower Bottle Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Lower Bottle Lake is dated August 7, 2023. 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 Lower Bottle Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Lower Bottle Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Lower Bottle Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lower Bottle Lake A 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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