Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 27, 2016
Species recorded at Perch Lake
10 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 Perch 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 Perch 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 June 27, 2016 caught 2.44 walleye per gill net at Perch Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Perch Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-06-27 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2016-06-27 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 13.49 | 5–16 in 2016-06-27 | 1.36 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.22 | 4–6 in 2016-06-27 | 0.11 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.61 | 10–22 in 2016-06-27 | 2.15 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.04 | 14–33 in 2016-06-27 | 2.38 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 3.11 | 8–19 in 2016-06-27 | 1.8 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.52 | 4–10 in 2016-06-27 | 0.52 lb |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
Northern Pike
From the 2016-06-27 survey
Perch Lake is located about 13 miles northwest of Chisholm, MN near and the Sturgeon chain of lakes. The 339 acre lake has 170 littoral acres, a maximum depth of 30 feet, with no inlets or outlets. The lake is heavily developed along the 3.3 mile shoreline. There is a DNR administered concrete boat access on the west…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Perch Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PerchFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Perch (1868)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PerchFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PerchPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Perch Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 27, 2016 caught 2.44 walleye per gill net at Perch Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 10 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 Perch Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Perch Lake is dated June 27, 2016. 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 Perch Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Perch 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 Perch Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Perch Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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 Perch Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Perch Lake
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