2 miles southwest of Elk River
Sherburne County, Minnesota · 45.3129° N, 93.6037° W
Directions to Orono Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
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Updated 19 Oct 2026, 6:14 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on Orono Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 20 stockings of Orono Lake in 4 of the years 2021 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 50 black crappie adults. Species stocked: black crappie, bluegill sunfish, largemouth bass, walleye, yellow perch.
Latest: 2025: 1,000 yellow perch yearlings.
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 Orono Lake was in August 2019: 6 gill nets and 9 trap nets caught 17 species. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in May 2021; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 1989 0.5 · 2008 2.2 · 2019 1.0
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 1984 7.7 · 1989 1.9 · 2008 1.1 · 2019 1.3
Walleye: 6 measured, 10 to 23 in, half 18 in or longer; average 2.2 lb, normal (normal 1–2.8 lb).
Northern pike: 13 measured, 16 to 24 in, half 20 in or longer; average 1.9 lb, normal (normal 1.5–3.4 lb).
Smallmouth bass: 138 measured, 4 to 20 in, half 14 in or longer.
Black crappie: 54 measured, 5 to 13 in, half 7 in or longer; average 0.3 lb, normal (normal 0.2–0.4 lb).
Bluegill: 17 measured, 3 to 8 in, half 7 in or longer; average 0.26 lb, normal (normal 0.2–0.3 lb).
Also caught: black bullhead, bowfin (dogfish), channel catfish, common carp, hybrid sunfish, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, white sucker, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 9 Aug 2019, 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 3 ft: the Secchi depth across 2 readings, 2008–2019.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Orono Lake is 18 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 300 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Orono Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 20 stockings of it in 4 of the years 2021 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 50 black crappie adults.
Minnesota DNR’s August 2019 standard survey caught 17 species, most often black crappie, yellow perch, rock bass and bluegill.
About 100% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.