Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 5, 1989
Scott Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Scott Lake average 9.59 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 5, 1989. In Crow Wing County, Minnesota, Scott 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 11.1 feet of visibility. 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.
Stocking at Scott Lake
No stocking record for Scott 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 Scott Lake average 9.59 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 5, 1989.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Scott Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1989-07-05 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 28.54 | 0.15 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 20.71 | 0.2 lb |
| Northern Pike | 9.59 | 1.12 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 6.25 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.04 | 0.21 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 0.75 | 0.27 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.
From the 1989-07-05 survey
Northern pike and yellow bullhead area present in very high numbers though they are small in size. Pumpkinseed and bluegill are present in high numbers and are average in size. Largemouth bass and black crappie appear in average size and numbers. Black bullhead are low in number and small in size. Bowfin are low in…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Scott Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ScottFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Scott (0388)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Scott Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Scott Lake average 9.59 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 5, 1989. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Scott Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Scott Lake is dated July 5, 1989. 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 Scott Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Scott 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 Scott 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 Scott Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 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.
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