Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 26, 2021
Whaletail Lake FishingDWater-quality grade D
Minnesota DNR surveys at Whaletail Lake average 45.96 black crappie per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 9 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 26, 2021. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–9 inches. In Hennepin County, Minnesota, Whaletail Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of D. Water clarity averages 3.3 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 Whaletail 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 Whaletail Lake
No stocking record for Whaletail 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 Whaletail 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 Whaletail Lake average 45.96 black crappie per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 9 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 26, 2021. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–9 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Whaletail Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-07-26 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 45.96 | 0.16 lb |
| Bluegill | 20.04 | 0.15 lb |
| White Crappie | 12.45 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.26 | 0.11 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 4.84 | 0.78 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 3.37 | 0.83 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.
Black Crappie
Bluegill
White Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2021-07-26 survey
Whaletail Lake is 510-acres (469 littoral acres) with a maximum depth of 22 feet. Whaletail is located northeast of St. Bonifacious in southwestern Hennepin County. Public water access is provided by DNR Parks and Trails on the northwest side of the lake off of County road 92 and West Highland road (up to 16…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Whaletail Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WhaletailFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WhaletailPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Whaletail Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Whaletail Lake average 45.96 black crappie per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 9 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 26, 2021. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–9 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 Whaletail Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Whaletail Lake is dated July 26, 2021. 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 Whaletail Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Whaletail 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 Whaletail Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Whaletail Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. 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 Whaletail Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Whaletail Lake
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