Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest May 29, 2013
Species recorded at Wanless Lake
3 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 Wanless Lake
No stocking record for Wanless 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's Targeted Survey on May 29, 2013 caught 1.80 northern pike per trap net at Wanless Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–23 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wanless Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2013-05-29 (Targeted Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2013-05-29 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 8.42 | 1–4 in 2013-05-29 | 0.07 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.42 | 12–21 in 2013-05-29 | 2.28 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.37 | 12–23 in 2013-05-29 | 1.41 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 0.38 |
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.
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
Northern Pike
From the 2013-05-29 survey
On May 29, 2013 a special assessment was performed using trap nets to assess the mid-range objective in the Lake Management Plan of determining survival and reproductive success of stocked Black Crappie. In late October 2002, 295 Black Crappie fingerlings were stocked, however; stocking records indicate that fish were…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wanless Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WanlessFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Wanless (1114)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Wanless Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 29, 2013 caught 1.80 northern pike per trap net at Wanless Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–23 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 3 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 Wanless Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Wanless Lake is dated May 29, 2013. 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 Wanless Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Wanless 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.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Wanless Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wanless 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 Wanless Lake
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