Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest September 17, 2025
Whitefish Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Whitefish Lake average 12.25 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 28 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 17, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–19 inches. In Crow Wing County, Minnesota, Whitefish Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 14.4 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 Whitefish Lake
23 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.
- black bullhead
- black crappie
- bluegill
- bowfin (dogfish)
- brown bullhead
- burbot
- greater redhorse
- green sunfish
- hybrid sunfish
- lake whitefish
- largemouth bass
- northern pike
- northern sunfish
- pumpkinseed
- rock bass
- shorthead redhorse
- silver redhorse
- smallmouth bass
- tullibee (cisco)
- walleye
- white sucker
- yellow bullhead
- yellow perch
Stocking at Whitefish 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
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Whitefish Lake average 12.25 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 28 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 17, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–19 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Whitefish 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
28 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-17 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 14.48 | 0.18 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.25 | 0.89 lb |
| Walleye | 9.16 | 1.15 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
Largemouth Bass
Walleye
From the 2025-09-17 survey
The current management plan calls for 5 million Walleye fry to be stocked annually into Whitefish and another 880,000 into connected Cross Lake. Whitefish is also stocked in even numbered years with Walleye fingerlings at the rate of one pound per littoral acre (2,714 pounds). Prior to the current plan, Whitefish was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Whitefish Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WhitefishFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Whitefish (0015)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WhitefishFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WhitefishPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Whitefish Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Whitefish Lake average 12.25 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 28 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 17, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–19 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 23 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 Whitefish Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Whitefish Lake is dated September 17, 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 Whitefish Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Whitefish Lake
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