Zumbro Lake

How big is Zumbro Lake?

How deep is Zumbro Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Zumbro Lake?

Are there topographical lake maps available Zumbro Lake?

We have an topograpical map for online viewing near the top of this page. Lake-Link Pro users can download an print a topograpical map of Zumbro Lake (.pdf format) along with 2,700 more lake maps. For more information on all the benefits of Lake-Link Pro click here.

Zumbro Lake

Zumbro Lake South

Are there boat launches on Zumbro Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Zumbro Lake?

What aquatic invasive species are found in Zumbro Lake?

Status Of The Fishery:

Lake Zumbro is a large reservoir on the Zumbro Riverand it is a popular recreation and fishing lake due to its proximity to Rochester, MN. The primary gamefish in the reservoir are Bluegill, Black Crappie, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Smallmouth Bass. A Walleye fingerling stocking program was initiated in 2008. Walleye fingerlings are stocked at a rate of one pound per surface acre (600 pounds total) in even calendar years.
A major flood in the fall of 2010 made some changes in Lake Zumbro. The public access off of Olmstead County 12 (Sandy Point) is no longer useable due to major sediment deposition. The flood caused the upper end of Lake Zumbro to become shallower at a faster rate than normal deposition. The large 2010 flood may also have influenced fish populations in the reservoir. There are plans for dredging in the upper end of the reservoir.

Black Crappie populations in Lake Zumbro were excellent in 2015 and good crappie fishing was reported to the Lake City office. Northern Pike and Channel Catfish provide anglers with the opportunity to catch larger gamefish. Channel Catfish numbers have been on the decline and this may be due to sedimentation and habitat changes in the reservoir. Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass are abundant in the reservoir.

Muskellunge were introduced to Lake Zumbro in 1994 and a substantial number of fingerlings have been stocked periodically since that time. Assessments of the Muskellunge population have generally shown a very low number of adult fish, but occasional catches and sightings have been reported by anglers. Muskellunge have established a quality population in the Zumbro River downstream of the Lake Zumbro dam.

At the time of the 2015 fisheries assessment, four stockings of Walleye fingerlings had taken place since 2008 in even numbered years. The catch rate of 0.33 Walleye per gill net indicates a low population. However, night time electrofishing resulted in 31.9 Walleye per hour on-time. Most of these Walleye were likely too small to be sampled in gill nets in early summer and likely were from fingerling stocking in 2014. Anglers have reported catching Walleye in low numbers and it is expected that catch rates will increase as more year classes of are established.

White Bass were historically a substantial component of the fishery in Lake Zumbro. However their numbers have declined drastically and only one was sampled in the 2011 assessment. Several large die-offs of White Bass have been documented; however a cause was never determined. It is likely that these die-offs and changes in habitat within the reservoir have limited the potential for White Bass to recover to their former abundance. However, 16 young-of-year sized White Bass were sampled in fall nighttime electrofishing.

What is the average air temp for Zumbro Lake?

Are there any state parks near Zumbro Lake?