Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 28, 2025
Shumway Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Shumway Lake average 9.15 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 28, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–19 inches. In Aitkin County, Minnesota, Shumway 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 5.0 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 Shumway Lake
6 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 Shumway Lake
No stocking record for Shumway 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.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Shumway 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 Shumway Lake average 9.15 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 28, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–19 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 Shumway Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Brown Bullhead | 54.38 | 0.89 lb |
| Bluegill | 29.08 | 0.31 lb |
| Black Crappie | 15.61 | 0.27 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 9.15 | 0.92 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.11 | 0.08 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.36 | 2.97 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.
Brown Bullhead
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-07-28 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Shumway Lake was conducted on July 28, 2025, by Aitkin area fisheries staff. Sampling sites (N=10) were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Shumway Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ShumwayFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Shumway (0084)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ShumwayPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Shumway Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Shumway Lake average 9.15 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 28, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–19 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 6 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 Shumway Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Shumway Lake is dated July 28, 2025. 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 Shumway Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Shumway 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 Shumway 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 Shumway Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. 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 Shumway Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Shumway Lake
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