Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest November 3, 2025
Species recorded at Okabena Lake
18 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 Okabena 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.
Getting on the water
3 public boat landings are recorded on Okabena Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2022 caught 16.67 walleye per gill net at Okabena Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–9 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Okabena Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
21 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-11-03 (Targeted Survey).
21 surveys on file · most recent 2025-11-03 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 19.86 | 7–10 in 2022-08-15 | 0.26 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.78 | 10–14 in 2022-08-15 | 0.62 lb |
| Walleye | 17.17 | 8–9 in 2025-11-03 | 1.01 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 15.32 |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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
Black Bullhead
Walleye
From the 2025-11-03 survey
Okabena Lake is a 776-acre lake, located in Nobles County in the City of Worthington. Okabena Lake is managed primarily for Walleye and secondarily for Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill and Crappie. Lower Mississippi Strain (LMS) Walleye fry has been stocked in Okabena Lake periodically since the spring of 2018,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Okabena Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — OkabenaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — OkabenaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — OkabenaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Okabena Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2022 caught 16.67 walleye per gill net at Okabena Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–9 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 18 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 Okabena Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Okabena Lake is dated November 3, 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 Okabena Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Okabena 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.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Okabena Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Okabena Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are 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 with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Okabena Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Okabena Lake
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