Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest October 7, 2025
Species recorded at Swan Lake
14 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 Swan 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
2 public boat landings are recorded on Swan Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on October 7, 2025 caught 3.00 largemouth bass per gill net at Swan Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Swan Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-07 (Targeted Survey).
17 surveys on file · most recent 2025-10-07 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 75.96 | 9–12 in 2022-06-14 | 0.41 lb |
| Black Crappie | 61.23 | 2–13 in 2025-10-07 | 0.18 lb |
| Walleye | 36.39 | 3–13 in 2024-09-26 | 1.39 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.25 | 2–8 in 2025-10-07 | 0.22 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 15.00 | 5–10 in 2022-06-14 | 0.13 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 14.56 |
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
Walleye
Bluegill
From the 2025-10-07 survey
Swan is a small-sized lake (351 acres) located northwest of the Town of Silver Lake in McLeod County. A state-owned access with a small gravel parking area and a single cement boat ramp is present on the east shore. A small fishing dock is also present at the east access. A larger, county-owned access, is available on…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Swan Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SwanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SwanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SwanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Swan Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on October 7, 2025 caught 3.00 largemouth bass per gill net at Swan Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 14 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 Swan Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Swan Lake is dated October 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 Swan Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Swan 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 Swan Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Swan Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. 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 Swan Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Swan Lake
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