Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 23, 1990
Nelson Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Nelson Lake average 8.19 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 23, 1990. In Douglas County, Minnesota, Nelson Lake has no letter grade — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Water clarity averages 11.0 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.
Stocking at Nelson Lake
No stocking record for Nelson 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 Nelson Lake average 8.19 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 23, 1990.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Nelson Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1990-07-23 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Bass | 22.88 | 0.47 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.06 | 0.18 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.19 | 1.23 lb |
| Common Carp | 5.50 | 1.39 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.94 | 0.18 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 3.12 | 0.2 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 1990-07-23 survey
The 31 year gap in population assessments make analyzing gradual trends impossible. However some very noticeable changes in the fish populations have occurred. The Yellow Perch index was 103.5 fish/gillnet in 1959. No Yellow Perch were sampled in the 1990 assessment. No Bluegill were observed in trapnets in 1959. In…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Nelson Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — NelsonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Nelson Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Nelson Lake average 8.19 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 23, 1990. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Nelson Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Nelson Lake is dated July 23, 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 Nelson Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Nelson 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 Nelson Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Nelson Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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 Nelson Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Nelson Lake
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