Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 28, 2021
Species recorded at Winsted 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 Winsted 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's Standard Survey on June 28, 2021 caught 0.11 northern pike per gill net at Winsted Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Winsted Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-28 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2021-06-28 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 61.44 | 4–12 in 2021-06-28 | 0.38 lb |
| Shorthead Redhorse | 19.00 | 0.57 lb | |
| Common Carp | 17.27 | 3–25 in 2021-06-28 | 4.04 lb |
| Black Crappie | 15.56 | 4–9 in 2021-06-28 | 0.36 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.57 | 4–8 in 2021-06-28 | 0.21 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 8.19 | 7–15 in 2021-06-28 | 1.27 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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 Bullhead
Common Carp
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2021-06-28 survey
Winsted is a medium sized lake (382 acres) located near the City of Winsted in McLeod County. A small state-owned access with a single cement boat ramp is located on the southeast shore. Winsted has four miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 12 feet. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Winsted Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WinstedFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WinstedFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WinstedPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Winsted Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 28, 2021 caught 0.11 northern pike per gill net at Winsted Lake. 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 Winsted Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Winsted Lake is dated June 28, 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 Winsted Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Winsted 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.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Winsted Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Winsted Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are 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 with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Winsted Lake
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