Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 6, 1990
Maple Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Maple Lake average 9.56 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 6, 1990. In Cass County, Minnesota, Maple Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 13.3 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.
Stocking at Maple Lake
No stocking record for Maple 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 Maple Lake average 9.56 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 6, 1990.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Maple Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1990-06-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Green Sunfish | 16.88 | 0.41 lb |
| Northern Pike | 9.56 | 1.97 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.56 | 0.32 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.38 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 2.00 | 0.82 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 1.12 | 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.
From the 1990-06-06 survey
The northern pike gillnet catch of 17.3 is very high when compared to other area lakes. Most of the fish sampled were less than 20 inches long, but fish over 30 inches were collected. The growth rate for northern pike is not fast.There is an abundant green sunfish population in Maple Lake. They range in length from 5…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Maple Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MapleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Maple Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Maple Lake average 9.56 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 6, 1990. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Maple Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Maple Lake is dated June 6, 1990. 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 Maple Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Maple 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 Maple Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Maple Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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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