Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 8, 2011
Mcfarland Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Mcfarland Lake average 2.25 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 8, 2011. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–32 inches. In Cook County, Minnesota, Mcfarland Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 17.0 feet of visibility, and the lake has public access. 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 Mcfarland Lake
4 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 Mcfarland Lake
No stocking record for Mcfarland 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
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Mcfarland Lake average 2.25 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 8, 2011. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–32 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Mcfarland Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. 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: 2011-06-08 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 7.90 | 0.26 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.76 | 2.81 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.25 | 1.4 lb |
| Walleye | 2.00 | 0.9 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 1.00 | 1.97 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
White Sucker
Northern Pike
Walleye
From the 2011-06-08 survey
This was the first of two assessments included in the 2008 lake management plan to determine whether long range goals for northern pike and yellow perch in this lake continued to be met. The northern pike gill net catch in 2011 met the long range goal for the species (a minimum of 2.8 fish/set), and was similar to…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mcfarland 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 JohnFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little John (1671)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little JohnPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Mcfarland Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Mcfarland Lake average 2.25 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 8, 2011. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–32 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 4 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 Mcfarland Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Mcfarland Lake is dated June 8, 2011. 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 Mcfarland Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Mcfarland 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 Mcfarland Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Mcfarland Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 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.
Where to stay near Mcfarland Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Mcfarland Lake
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