Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 12, 2018
Spring Lake FishingDWater-quality grade D
Minnesota DNR surveys at Spring Lake average 18.50 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 12, 2018. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–17 inches. In Ramsey County, Minnesota, Spring Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of D. Water clarity averages 3.1 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.
Species recorded at Spring Lake
4 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 Spring 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.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Spring Lake average 18.50 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 12, 2018. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–17 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Spring Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-08-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Green Sunfish | 89.64 | 0.19 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 37.67 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluegill | 29.34 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 18.50 | 0.26 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 6.11 | 0.25 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.70 | 0.13 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.
Green Sunfish
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2018-08-12 survey
Spring Lake (also called Wood Lake) has been managed by the Fishing in the Neighborhood Program since 2003. Spring Lake sits on the borders of three cities (Spring Lake Park, Mounds View and Fridley) and two counties (Anoka and Ramsey). A fishing pier was installed in 2005 and a surface aspirating aerator in 2006.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Spring Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SpringFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SpringFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Spring Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Spring Lake average 18.50 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 12, 2018. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–17 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 4 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 Spring Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Spring Lake is dated August 12, 2018. 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 Spring Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Spring 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.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Spring Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Spring Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is stable. 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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