Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 7, 2018
Stony Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Stony Lake average 4.64 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 7, 2018. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–28 inches. In Douglas County, Minnesota, Stony Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). 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 Stony Lake
10 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 Stony Lake
No stocking record for Stony 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 Stony Lake average 4.64 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 7, 2018. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–28 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 Stony Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-08-07 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 11.35 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 11.06 | 0.6 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 5.29 | 0.82 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.64 | 1.77 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.44 | 0.2 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 2.99 | 0.87 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
Black Bullhead
Northern Pike
From the 2018-08-07 survey
North Union, Stony, and Lottie (Taylor) lakes form a chain of lakes between Brophy and Cowdry lakes in Douglas County. Stony Lake is the middle lake within the chain of lakes. Stony Lake discharges to Lottie Lake. None of these three small basins have public access sites, but anglers can utilize access sites on Cowdry…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Stony Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StonyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Stony Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Stony Lake average 4.64 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 6 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 7, 2018. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–28 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 10 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 Stony Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Stony Lake is dated August 7, 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 Stony Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Stony 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 Stony 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 Stony Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
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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