Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 19, 2019
Mitchell Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Mitchell Lake average 17.09 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated June 19, 2019. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches. In Sherburne County, Minnesota, Mitchell Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 10.0 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 Mitchell 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 Mitchell 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 Mitchell Lake average 17.09 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated June 19, 2019. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Mitchell 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-06-19 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.90 | — |
| Bluegill | 23.92 | 0.11 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.09 | 0.98 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 12.77 | 0.1 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 9.40 | 0.23 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
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2019-06-19 survey
A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community was conducted on June 19, 2019 by Fisheries Lake IBI program staff. Sampling stations were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mitchell Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MitchellFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MitchellFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Mitchell Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Mitchell Lake average 17.09 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated June 19, 2019. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 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 Mitchell Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Mitchell Lake is dated June 19, 2019. 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 Mitchell Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Mitchell 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 Mitchell Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Mitchell 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.
Where to stay near Mitchell Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Mitchell Lake
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