Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 10, 2024
Species recorded at Silver Lake
12 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 Silver 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
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 10, 2024 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Silver Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Silver Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-10 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-10 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 45.70 | 4–6 in 2024-07-10 | 0.26 lb |
| Black Crappie | 31.12 | 7–9 in 2024-07-10 | 0.17 lb |
| Bluegill | 26.61 | 3–9 in 2024-07-10 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 24.79 | 5–10 in 2024-07-10 | 0.12 lb |
| Common Carp | 9.65 | 4–8 in 2024-07-10 | 2.61 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.94 | 22 in 2024-07-10 | 3.73 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-10 survey
Silver Lake (West) is a 71-acre (62.5 littoral acres), class 38 lake located within the Village of St. Anthony and the City of Columbia Heights. The lake is currently managed by the Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN) program. The City of Columbia Heights operates a small swimming beach in the northwest corner and a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Silver Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SilverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SilverFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SilverPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Silver Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 10, 2024 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Silver Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 12 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 Silver Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Silver Lake is dated July 10, 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 Silver Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Silver 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.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Silver Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Silver Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Water-quality readings are 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 with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Silver Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Silver Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Planning a trip to Silver Lake?
Get lake water-quality updates plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Silver Lake — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.