Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 22, 2015
Ward Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Ward Lake average 10.89 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 22, 2015. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–19 inches. In Cook County, Minnesota, Ward Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 5.6 feet of visibility, and the lake has public access. 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 Ward Lake
2 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 Ward Lake
No stocking record for Ward 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
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Ward Lake average 10.89 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 22, 2015. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–19 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Ward Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2015-06-22 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 10.89 | 0.82 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 4.97 | — |
| White Sucker | 1.02 | 2.61 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.
Northern Pike
White Sucker
From the 2015-06-22 survey
Northern pike were very abundant in 2015, but also very small, with no fish larger than 20 inches taken. Both results were typical for this lake, which has long been known to support high numbers of small fish. The small size of the northern pike in Ward Lake was due mainly to their slow growth rates. Fish as old as…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ward Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WardFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WardPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Ward Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Ward Lake average 10.89 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 22, 2015. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–19 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 2 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 Ward Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Ward Lake is dated June 22, 2015. 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 Ward Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Ward 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 Ward Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Ward Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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.
Where to stay near Ward Lake
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