Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 19, 2019
Pike Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Pike Lake average 13.00 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 19, 2019. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–18 inches. In St. Louis County, Minnesota, Pike 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 18.0 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 Pike Lake
9 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 Pike 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 Pike Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Pike Lake average 13.00 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 19, 2019. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–18 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 Pike Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-08-19 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 27.88 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.00 | 1.28 lb |
| Walleye | 7.66 | 0.98 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.11 | 2.39 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.38 | 0.22 lb |
| Rock Bass | 3.92 | 0.23 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.
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Walleye
White Sucker
From the 2019-08-19 survey
Pike is a 494 acre lake with 135 (27%) acres of littoral area and a maximum depth of 62 feet. The lake is located just north of Hermantown, MN and has a township administered, concrete, back-in access located off County Road #13. Walleye fry have been stocked in even years from 1982 through 2018. Pike Lake was last…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pike Lake. 5 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PikeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pike (0448)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pike (0514)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PikeFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PikePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Pike Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Pike Lake average 13.00 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 19, 2019. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–18 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 9 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 Pike Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Pike Lake is dated August 19, 2019. 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 Pike Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Pike 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 Pike 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 Pike Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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 Pike Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Pike Lake
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