7 miles southeast of Lonsdale
Rice County, Minnesota · 44.4058° N, 93.3361° W
Directions to Circle Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Minnesota DNR public access site.
Updated 15 Oct 2026, 5:24 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on Circle Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 11 stockings of Circle Lake in 8 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 209,500 walleye fry. Species stocked: black crappie, bluegill sunfish, largemouth bass, walleye.
Latest: 2025: 209,500 walleye fry.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries (LakeFinder stocking reports), fetched 15 Oct 2026. How we measure
Measured from Minnesota DNR contours. How we measure
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of Circle Lake was in June 2023: 4 gill nets and 11 trap nets caught 13 species.
Northern pike per gill net, standard surveys: 2004 2.3 · 2007 6.0 · 2012 3.7 · 2017 4.5 · 2023 1.2
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 2004 6.0 · 2007 10 · 2012 21 · 2017 10 · 2023 3.9
Northern pike: 5 measured, 12 to 28 in, half 23 in or longer; average 2.6 lb, normal (normal 1.8–3.4 lb).
Black crappie: 8 measured, 4 to 8 in, half 4 in or longer; average 0.18 lb, below normal (normal 0.2–0.4 lb).
Bluegill: 43 measured, 2 to 6 in, half 3 in or longer; average 0.05 lb, below normal (normal 0.1–0.4 lb).
Yellow perch: 61 measured, 4 to 7 in, half 6 in or longer; average 0.1 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Also caught: bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, golden shiner, hybrid sunfish.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 12 Jun 2023, via LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Normal range: DNR’s range for lakes of the same class (43 classes, grouped by water chemistry and shape). Each line has its own scale. How we measure
Measured water clarity averages about 6 ft: the Secchi depth across 3 readings, 2012–2023.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Circle Lake is 14 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 838 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Circle Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 11 stockings of it in 8 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 209,500 walleye fry.
Minnesota DNR’s June 2023 standard survey caught 13 species, most often yellow perch, bluegill, black crappie and northern pike.
About 15% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.