Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest September 23, 2025
White Earth Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at White Earth Lake average 11.47 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 15 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 23, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–7 inches. In Becker County, Minnesota, White Earth Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 15.0 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 White Earth Lake
17 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 White Earth 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 White Earth 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 White Earth Lake average 11.47 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 15 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 23, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–7 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades White Earth Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-23 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 16.75 | — |
| Walleye | 11.47 | 1.59 lb |
| Bluegill | 10.61 | 0.22 lb |
| Rock Bass | 10.48 | 0.38 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 8.30 | 0.33 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.
Walleye
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2025-09-23 survey
On September 23, 2025, DNR Fisheries used night electrofishing to sample young-of-year Walleyes in White Earth Lake. This sampling has been done annually for the past 15 years and is used to help determine the success of natural reproduction within White Earth Lake. During the 2025 assessment, 18 young-of-year…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for White Earth Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — White EarthFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — White Earth (1001)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — White EarthFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — White EarthPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in White Earth Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at White Earth Lake average 11.47 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 15 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 23, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–7 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 17 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 White Earth Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for White Earth Lake is dated September 23, 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 White Earth Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for White Earth 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 White Earth Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades White Earth Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 White Earth Lake
Top-rated places to stay near White Earth Lake
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