Minnesota · DNR survey data
Nelson Lake
Nelson Lake covers 40 acres in Hubbard County, running to 19.5 feet, last surveyed by the DNR in 2015. The Minnesota DNR has not published bathymetry for this lake, so there is no depth map here, just the survey record: what the nets held and how big it ran.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassPresent2.2per trap net5"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 27 fish
2015Lengths measured · 16 fish
2003Lengths measured · 9 fish
1993Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers6per gill net20"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 22 fish
2015Lengths measured · 28 fish
2003Lengths measured · 30 fish
1993BluegillFair numbers41.4per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 379 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 379 fish
2015Lengths measured · 284 fish
2003Lengths measured · 463 fish
1993Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear — which is why the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, the page shows presence and size only. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey. You can read every number on this page without an app or an account.
Recent reports
Nelson Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Nelson Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Nelson Lake (trailer launch)
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Twenty-One Lake · 36 ac · 0.3 mi
- Crappie Lake · 23 ac · 2.8 mi
- Gillett Lake · 44 ac · 3.1 mi
- Lester Lake · 72 ac · 3.4 mi
- Halverson Lake · 21 ac · 3.8 mi
- Kabekona Lake · 2,433 ac · 4.1 mi
- Deep Lake · 44 ac · 6.4 mi
- Garfield Lake · 972 ac · 6.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Is there a depth map for Nelson Lake?
The Minnesota DNR has not published bathymetry for Nelson Lake, so this page carries the survey record instead: species, catch rates and stocking history.
What fish are in Nelson Lake?
The most recent DNR survey (2015) recorded walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, yellow perch.
Does Nelson Lake have a public access?
Yes. Nelson Lake has one public access site: Nelson Lake (trailer launch).
Is Nelson Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Nelson Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
When was Nelson Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Nelson Lake in 2015, the most recent of 5 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Survey numbers are the Minnesota DNR's. How this site reads them →
Page updated .