Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 14, 2006
White Swan Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at White Swan Lake average 4.06 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 14, 2006. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 15–38 inches. In Itasca County, Minnesota, White Swan Lake has no letter grade — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Water clarity averages 12.0 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 White Swan Lake
9 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 Swan 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.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at White Swan Lake average 4.06 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 14, 2006. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 15–38 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on White Swan Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2006-08-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 17.56 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.74 | 0.28 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.36 | 0.14 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.06 | 2.61 lb |
| Rock Bass | 2.37 | 0.31 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 1.26 | 1.06 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.
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2006-08-14 survey
White Swan Lake is 158-acre bass/panfish lake located 14 miles southeast of Bigfork, MN in northern Itasca County. The lake has a moderate amount of development but no designated public access. The walleye gill-net catch in 2006 was 1.3/net, above the lake class average but down from the catch of 2.2/net in 1996.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for White Swan Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — White SwanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — White SwanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in White Swan Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at White Swan Lake average 4.06 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 7 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 14, 2006. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 15–38 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 9 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 Swan Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for White Swan Lake is dated August 14, 2006. 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 Swan Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for White Swan 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 Swan Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on White Swan Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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.
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