Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 18, 2025
Nibin Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Nibin Lake average 5.28 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 18, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–26 inches. In St. Louis County, Minnesota, Nibin Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Water clarity averages 5.6 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 Nibin Lake
5 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 Nibin 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 Nibin Lake average 5.28 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 18, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Nibin Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. 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: 2025-08-18 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 8.27 | 2.58 lb |
| Walleye | 5.28 | 0.9 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.69 | 0.43 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 1.67 | 0.1 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.18 | 2.99 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 0.87 | 0.47 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.
White Sucker
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2025-08-18 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Stuart Lake on August 18th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Nibin Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StuartFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StuartFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Nibin Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Nibin Lake average 5.28 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 18, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–26 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 5 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 Nibin Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Nibin Lake is dated August 18, 2025. 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 Nibin Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Nibin 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 Nibin 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 Nibin Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. 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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