Dean Lake
Wright County, Minnesota
Today's Fishing Forecast
Fishing looks to be fairly active with peak fishing times around 3-5 PM. SEE MORE
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Frequently Asked Questions About Dean Lake, MN
- How big is Dean Lake?
- How deep is Dean Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Dean Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Dean Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Dean Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Dean Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Dean Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Dean Lake?
How big is Dean Lake?
How deep is Dean Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Dean Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Blackchin Shiner, Brook Stickleback, Central Mudminnow, Fathead Minnow, Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Orangespotted Sunfish, Tadpole Madtom and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Dean Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Dean Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Dean Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Dean Lake?
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History & Status of the Fishery
Dean Lake is located 3.5 miles southeast of the city of Buffalo in southeastern Wright County. A public access with limited parking is located on the east side of the lake, adjacent to County Road 14. The lake is 173 acres with an average depth of 10 feet and a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake has poor water clarity and experiences heavy summer algal blooms. Dean Lake has experienced winterkills in the past, the most recent occurring in 1997. Aeration equipment has been available since 2002 and has been used fairly regularly since 2009 to prevent winterkill.
Walleye numbers have improved since the last survey in 2011 and were good compared to other lakes similar to Dean Lake. Fingerlings have been stocked every other year since 2011. Walleye averaged 20 inches and 3 pounds and the largest fish caught was 25 inches.
The Northern Pike catch rate increased from the previous survey and was in the expected values for lakes similar to Dean Lake. Anglers should have opportunities to catch quality-sized Northern Pike as fish in the survey averaged 28 inches. The largest fish caught in the survey was 37 inches. Sixty percent of Northern Pike were longer than 26 inches and 30% were longer than 30 inches.
The catch rate of Largemouth Bass was above average for the Sauk Rapids Management Area. Anglers should have opportunities to catch quality-sized Largemouth Bass as fish in the survey averaged 15 inches and the largest caught was 21 inches.
Black Crappie abundance was in the range of expected values for lakes similar to Dean Lake. The average length was nearly 8 inches and the largest crappie captured was 11 inches.
Bluegill abundance was in the range of expected values for lakes similar to Dean Lake. The average length of Bluegill were 6 inches.
Sportfish have benefitted from the successful winter aeration in past years. Land and lakeshore owners within the watershed can help improve water quality by using best management practices to reduce run-off and nutrient input to the lake.
What is the average air temp for Dean Lake?
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Dean Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Crawford Lake | 1.8 mi | 110 | 19 ft |
| Mud Lake | 2.0 mi | 20 | |
| Lake Mary | 2.1 mi | 329 | |
| Tamarack Lake | 2.8 mi | 62 | 26 ft |
| Mink Lake | 3.2 mi | 94 | 36 ft |
| Spotanski Lake | 3.6 mi | 54 | |
| Green Mountain Lake | 3.9 mi | 156 | |
| Moore Lake | 3.9 mi | 180 | |
| Buffalo Lake | 4.1 mi | 1,552 | 33 ft |
| Deer Lake | 4.1 mi | 171 | 27 ft |
