Snelling Lake
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Share Your Catch & Win!
Frequently Asked Questions About Snelling Lake, MN
- How big is Snelling Lake?
- How deep is Snelling Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Snelling Lake?
- Are there fishing guides or charters for Snelling Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Snelling Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Snelling Lake area?
- Are there topographical lake maps available Snelling Lake?
- Are there boat launches on Snelling Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Snelling Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Snelling Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Snelling Lake?
How big is Snelling Lake?
How deep is Snelling Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Snelling Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Brook Silverside, Common Shiner, Emerald Shiner, Freshwater Drum, Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, River Carpsucker, Smallmouth Buffalo, Spotfin Shiner and White Sucker.
Are there fishing guides or charters for Snelling Lake?
What are the closest cities to Snelling Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Snelling Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there topographical lake maps available Snelling Lake?
Are there boat launches on Snelling Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Snelling Lake?
What aquatic invasive species are found in Snelling Lake?
Join us in the fight to prevent the spread of invasive species These sneaky creatures can hitch a ride on boats, clinging onto propellers, anchor lines, and trailers. They can even survive in hidden places like bilge water and ballast tanks, or disguise themselves in dirt and sand that sticks to nets, buckets, anchors, and waders. But don't worry, we have the power to stop them in their tracks with just a few simple steps. So let's do our part and protect our waters from these unwanted invaders.
History & Status of the Fishery
Snelling Lake is located in Fort Snelling State Park, one of the most popular state parks in Minnesota. Shore fishing locations include a pier on the north end of the lake. Boat access is available on the southern end of the lake but gas engines are prohibited. This shallow class 43 lake is heavily vegetated with a variety of native aquatic plants as well as invasive aquatic plants that include curly leaf pond weed and Eurasian water milfoil. Snelling Lake is equipped with a winter aeration system to help prevent winterkill brought on by low oxygen due to ice thickness and snow cover. Snelling Lake is part of the Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN) program, and a population assessment was conducted in June of 2017 to determine species composition and abundance of game fish in the lake. For more information on FiN, please visit http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/fin/index.html .
Bluegill abundance has shown to be high in Snelling Lake, and remained well above average for similar lakes. Bluegill in Snelling Lake were small at 0.1 pounds per individual. Average length was 5.0 inches and ranged between 3.1-8.2 inches. A total of 5 Bluegill were captured by gillnet. These individuals fell within the same range calculated from Bluegill in trap nets for length and weight, though they were nearer to the lower limit.
Northern Pike abundance in Snelling Lake was well above average for similar lakes. Fifty-five percent of all Northern Pike sampled were 21 inches or greater and 16 percent were 28 inches or greater. The largest Northern Pike captured in this survey measured 33.2 inches. The average weight for Northern Pike sampled in Snelling Lake was 2.9 pounds, an above-average value for similar lakes. Seven Northern Pike were captured in trap nets, ranging from 16.7 to 24.4 inches in length.
Black Crappie abundance was below average. Thirteen total Black Crappie were captured and the largest was 8.4 inches in length. Pumpkinseed abundance was high in the lake. Black Bullhead abundance was below average for similar lakes, but well above average for weight (0.5 pounds). Eighty four percent of fish sampled were greater than 9 inches in length and the largest individual was 11.4 inches. Yellow Bullhead abundance was well-above average compared to similar lakes.
Other species captured in low abundance included Yellow Perch, Green Sunfish, hybrid sunfish, Golden Shiner and Largemouth Bass. It should be noted that passive sampling gears such as trap nets and gillnets are not effective for capturing Largemouth Bass. Electrofishing is the typical method for Largemouth Bass assessments but was not conducted during this survey.
What is the average air temp for Snelling Lake?
Are there any state parks near Snelling Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Snelling Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Gun Club Lake | 1.3 mi | 316 | |
| Augusta Lake | 1.5 mi | 35 | |
| Lemay Lake | 1.5 mi | 15 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.9 mi | 15 | |
| Crosby Lake | 2.4 mi | 69 | 19 ft |
| Rogers Lake | 2.4 mi | 102 | 8 ft |
| Unnamed Lake | 2.5 mi | 23 | 43 ft |
| Mother Lake | 2.8 mi | 20 | |
| Lemay Lake | 2.8 mi | 36 | 15.5 ft |
| Taft Lake | 3.2 mi | 14 | 45 ft |
