Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 27, 1988
Waptus Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Waptus Lake average 2.85 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 27, 1988. In Clearwater County, Minnesota, Waptus Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 14.1 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.
Stocking at Waptus Lake
No stocking record for Waptus 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.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Waptus 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 Waptus Lake average 2.85 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 27, 1988.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Waptus Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1988-07-27 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 7.92 | 0.24 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.75 | 0.4 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.85 | 0.96 lb |
| White Sucker | 0.75 | 1.77 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.
From the 1988-07-27 survey
NO LARGE BLACK CRAPPIE WERE CAUGHT IN TEST NETS, BUT ELECTROSHOCKING DID TURN SOME NICE SIZE CRAPPIE, NORTHERN PIKE, NUMBERS APPEAR STABLE BUT ARE SMALL IN SIZE. YELLOW PERCH NUMBERS ARE HIGH AND APPEAR STUNTED MORE DATA IS NEEDED.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Waptus Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WaptusFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Waptus (1340)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WaptusPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Waptus Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Waptus Lake average 2.85 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 27, 1988. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Waptus Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Waptus Lake is dated July 27, 1988. 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 Waptus Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Waptus 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 Waptus Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Waptus Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. 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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