Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 4, 1986
Spirit Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Spirit Lake average 0.25 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 4, 1986. In Aitkin County, Minnesota, Spirit 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 11.0 feet of visibility, and the lake has public access. 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 Spirit Lake
No stocking record for Spirit 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 Spirit Lake average 0.25 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 4, 1986.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Spirit Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 1986-06-04 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 0.50 | 0.38 lb |
| Northern Pike | 0.25 | 1 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 1986-06-04 survey
The present fish population is made up of fish that have probably been stocked by anglers from other area lakes. In the 1958 survey the lake had a low population of northern pike and bluegill with a large population of yellow perch. Between 1914 and 1943 the lake had been stocked with walleye, bass, sunfish and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Spirit Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little TurtleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Turtle (0047)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Spirit Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Spirit Lake average 0.25 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 4, 1986. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Spirit Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Spirit Lake is dated June 4, 1986. 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 Spirit Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Spirit 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 Spirit 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 Spirit Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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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