Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 29, 2015
Pickerel Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Pickerel Lake average 6.54 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 29, 2015. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–5 inches. In Dakota County, Minnesota, Pickerel 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 3.5 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 Pickerel Lake
15 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 Pickerel Lake
No stocking record for Pickerel 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 Pickerel Lake average 6.54 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 29, 2015. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–5 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 Pickerel Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is declining. 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: 2015-06-29 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 32.72 | 0.33 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.46 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.54 | 0.36 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.02 | 2.65 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.97 | 0.09 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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2015-06-29 survey
Pickerel Lake is a 90-acre, class 37 lake located in the Mississippi River floodplain in Lilydale. The lake lies entirely within the Lilydale/Harriet Island Regional Park. During flood events the Mississippi River inundates this shallow, heavily-vegetated basin. Flooding has occurred as recently as the summer of 2010.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pickerel Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PickerelFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Pickerel Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Pickerel Lake average 6.54 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 29, 2015. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–5 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 15 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 Pickerel Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Pickerel Lake is dated June 29, 2015. 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 Pickerel Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Pickerel 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 Pickerel 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 Pickerel Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 3 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 Pickerel Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Pickerel Lake
Planning a trip to Pickerel Lake?
Get lake water-quality report cards plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Pickerel Lake — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.