Zumbro Lake

How big is Zumbro Lake?

How deep is Zumbro Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Zumbro Lake?

What are the closest cities to 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?

Lake Zumbro is a large reservoir on the Zumbro River. 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, Smallmouth Bass, and Northern Pike. A walleye stocking program was initiated in 2008 and fingerlings are stocked at a rate of one pound per surface acre (600 pounds total) in even numbered years.

Black Crappie in Lake Zumbro were poorly represented in the trap nets in the 2021 survey, but were sampled in fair numbers in gill nets. However, most of the Black Crappie were under 8 inches. The Northern Pike numbers were excellent and it was the most Northern Pike sampled in a decade. Channel Catfish are present in low numbers and provide anglers with another opportunity to catch larger gamefish. Channel Catfish numbers have generally been on the decline over time.

Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass have historically been abundant in the reservoir, and fall electrofishing confirmed that a good population of both species exists in Lake Zumbro.

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 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. Previous studies have shown that escapement of Muskellunge is common and most fingerlings stocked in Lake Zumbro go over the dam and into the Zumbro River system. Lake Zumbro was last stocked Muskellunge in 2018 (150 fingerlings) and 2019 (300 fingerlings).

At the time of the 2021 fisheries assessment, 6 stockings of Walleye fingerlings had taken place since the stocking program was initiated in 2008. The low catch rate of Walleye per gill net suggests that survival and contribution to the fishery are poor. However, nighttime electrofishing in 2015 sampled Walleye at a rate of 31.9 per hour on-time. Anglers have also reported catching Walleye in low numbers and it is expected that catch rates may increase as more year classes of walleye are established. The morphometry of Lake Zumbro is steep sided in many places and gill nets may not be the best indicator of Walleye abundance in this reservoir. A major dam removal and stream restoration project was completed upstream of Lake Zumbro in recent years. It is hoped that the added riverine habitat will provide spawning area for walleye.

White Bass were historically a substantial component of the fishery in Lake Zumbro. However, their numbers have declined drastically over the last 10 to 15 years. 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.

Non-game fish species such as redhorse, carpsuckers, Common Carp, and buffalo are abundant in Lake Zumbro. The presence of these species is indicative of the riverine connections above the reservoir.

A dredging project was recently completed in the upper end of Lake Zumbro. The goal was to increase depth along homeowner shorelines, marinas, boat accesses, and navigation channels. Future surveys will be performed to try and observe any effect on the fish communities from the dredging project.

What is the average air temp for Zumbro Lake?

Are there any state parks near Zumbro Lake?