Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest May 3, 2021
Species recorded at Lower Orono Lake
18 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 Orono 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.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Lower Orono Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 3, 2021 caught 5.83 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at Lower Orono Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lower Orono Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-05-03 (Targeted Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2021-05-03 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | 12.89 | 8 in 2021-05-03 | 0.98 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 12.89 | 11 in 2019-08-09 | 0.41 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.17 | 5–10 in 2021-05-03 | 0.21 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.33 | 10–19 in 2019-08-09 | 1.28 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.88 | 8–11 in 2021-05-03 | 0.28 lb |
| White Crappie | 4.84 | 6–7 in 2008-08-04 | 0.19 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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.
Smallmouth Bass
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
From the 2021-05-03 survey
Orono Lake is a 281-acre reservoir formed by a dam on the Elk River in the City of Elk River in Sherburne County. Orono Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet and there is a public access on the west side of the lake in a city park. The reservoir has had issues with sediment deposition from the Elk River over the years…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lower Orono Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — OronoFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — OronoFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — OronoPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Lower Orono Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 3, 2021 caught 5.83 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at Lower Orono Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 18 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 Orono Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Lower Orono Lake is dated May 3, 2021. 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 Orono Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Lower Orono 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.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Lower Orono Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lower Orono Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 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
Water-quality readings are 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 with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Lower Orono Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Lower Orono Lake
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