Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 11, 2025
Upper Cormorant Lake FishingCWater-quality grade C
Minnesota DNR surveys at Upper Cormorant Lake average 40.62 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 11, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–16 inches. In Becker County, Minnesota, Upper Cormorant Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of C. Water clarity averages 8.0 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. 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 Upper Cormorant Lake
13 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 Upper Cormorant 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
1 public boat landing is recorded on Upper Cormorant Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Upper Cormorant Lake average 40.62 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 11, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–16 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Upper Cormorant Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-11 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 40.62 | 1.01 lb |
| Bluegill | 30.74 | 0.19 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 17.39 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 11.78 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 11.53 | 0.61 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Green Sunfish
Yellow Bass
From the 2025-08-11 survey
Upper Cormorant Lake is an 856-acre, class 25 lake located in southwestern Becker County. It consists of a main basin and a long, narrow, northern arm with several shallow bays. Two narrow channels, not navigable in low water years, provide access to Rossman and Nelson Lakes to the east and eventually connect to…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Upper Cormorant Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Upper CormorantFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Upper CormorantFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Upper CormorantPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Upper Cormorant Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Upper Cormorant Lake average 40.62 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 11, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–16 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 13 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 Upper Cormorant Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Upper Cormorant Lake is dated August 11, 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 Upper Cormorant Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Upper Cormorant 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 Upper Cormorant Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Upper Cormorant Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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.
Where to stay near Upper Cormorant Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Upper Cormorant Lake
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