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LakeQuality

Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 17, 2024

Pebble Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A

Minnesota DNR surveys at Pebble Lake average 38.47 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated June 17, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–20 inches. In Otter Tail County, Minnesota, Pebble Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 13.0 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. 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 Pebble Lake

14 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 Pebble 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

1 public boat landing is recorded on Pebble Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.

Survey results in full

DNR fisheries survey

Minnesota DNR surveys at Pebble Lake average 38.47 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated June 17, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–20 inches.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pebble 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

7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-17 (Targeted Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg catch rate (CPUE)Avg Weight
Largemouth Bass38.470.66 lb
Black Bullhead26.330.34 lb
Brown Bullhead22.661.31 lb
Yellow Perch21.930.12 lb
Green Sunfish18.030.08 lb
Bluegill17.480.13 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.

Largemouth Bass

92 fish · 320 in · 2017-07-31
1260trophy 20468101214161820

Black Bullhead

4 fish · 511 in · 2011-08-01
10567891011

Brown Bullhead

1 fish · 1515 in · 2024-06-17
1015

Yellow Perch

1 fish · 77 in · 2024-06-17
107

From the 2024-06-17 survey

Pebble Lake is a 169-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located within the city limits of Fergus Falls, MN. Pebble Lake is located within the Otter Tail River Watershed. The immediate watershed is primarily composed of residential areas interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth of Pebble Lake is…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pebble Lake. 4 reports on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Common questions

What fish are in Pebble Lake?

Minnesota DNR surveys at Pebble Lake average 38.47 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated June 17, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–20 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 14 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 Pebble Lake last surveyed?

The most recent fisheries survey on file for Pebble Lake is dated June 17, 2024. 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 Pebble Lake stocked?

Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Pebble 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 Pebble Lake fishes?

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pebble 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 Pebble Lake

Top-rated places to stay near Pebble Lake

See the full where-to-stay map for Pebble Lake

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