Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest October 21, 2024
Pool of Lake St Croix FishingCWater-quality grade C
Minnesota DNR surveys at Pool of Lake St Croix average 4.97 smallmouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 18 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated October 21, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches. In Washington County, Minnesota, Pool of Lake St Croix carries an overall water-quality grade of C. Water clarity averages 4.3 feet of visibility, and there are 5 public boat landings. 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 Pool of Lake St Croix
36 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.
- bigmouth buffalo
- black bullhead
- black crappie
- bluegill
- channel catfish
- common carp
- flathead catfish
- freshwater drum
- gizzard shad
- golden redhorse
- highfin carpsucker
- hybrid sunfish
- lake sturgeon
- largemouth bass
- longnose gar
- mooneye
- muskellunge
- northern pike
- paddlefish
- quillback
- river carpsucker
- river redhorse
- rock bass
- sauger
- shorthead redhorse
- shortnose gar
- silver redhorse
- smallmouth bass
- smallmouth buffalo
- spotted sucker
- walleye
- walleye/sauger
- white bass
- white crappie
- white sucker
- yellow perch
Stocking at Pool of Lake St Croix
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.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Pool of Lake St Croix average 4.97 smallmouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 18 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated October 21, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pool of Lake St Croix C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
18 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-10-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | 4.97 | 0.9 lb |
| Common Carp | 4.04 | 4.74 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 2.99 | 0.61 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.
Smallmouth Bass
Common Carp
Freshwater Drum
From the 2024-10-21 survey
A gill net survey was conducted on Lake St. Croix in 2024 and sampled 970 fish represented by 28 different species and one hybrid. Over 51% of the fish sampled were considered game fish species (those species which have defined creel limits). Composition of the top five game fish species sampled were 29.8% Yellow…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pool of Lake St Croix. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — St. CroixFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — St. CroixFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Pool of Lake St Croix?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Pool of Lake St Croix average 4.97 smallmouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 18 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated October 21, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 36 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 Pool of Lake St Croix last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Pool of Lake St Croix is dated October 21, 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 Pool of Lake St Croix stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Pool of Lake St Croix. 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 Pool of Lake St Croix fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pool of Lake St Croix C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 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 Pool of Lake St Croix
Top-rated places to stay near Pool of Lake St Croix
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