Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 7, 2025
Species recorded at Split Rock Reservoir
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 Split Rock Reservoir
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 7, 2025 caught 1.00 northern pike per gill net at Split Rock Reservoir.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Split Rock Reservoir’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-07 (Standard Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-07 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 34.28 | 4–12 in 2025-07-07 | 0.29 lb |
| White Sucker | 21.84 | 4–17 in 2025-07-07 | 1.32 lb |
| Black Crappie | 17.18 | 4–11 in 2025-07-07 | 0.19 lb |
| Common Carp | 11.81 | 8–22 in 2025-07-07 | 1.94 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 6.09 | 6–8 in 2025-07-07 | 0.22 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
White Sucker
Black Crappie
Common Carp
From the 2025-07-07 survey
Split Rock Lake is an impoundment created by a dam on Split Rock Creek constructed in 1938. This reservoir is located entirely within the boundaries of Split Rock State Park near Ihlen in Pipestone County. It has a surface area of 80 acres, a maximum depth of 16 feet, Secchi depth of 2.5 feet, and is a class 42 lake.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Split Rock Reservoir. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Split Rock ReservoirFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Split Rock ReservoirFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Split Rock ReservoirPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Split Rock Reservoir?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 7, 2025 caught 1.00 northern pike per gill net at Split Rock Reservoir. 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 Split Rock Reservoir last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Split Rock Reservoir is dated July 7, 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 Split Rock Reservoir stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Split Rock Reservoir. 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 Split Rock Reservoir fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Split Rock Reservoir’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 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
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 Split Rock Reservoir
Top-rated places to stay near Split Rock Reservoir
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