4 miles north of Kimball
Stearns County, Minnesota · 45.3668° N, 94.2748° W
Directions to Carnelian 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 Carnelian Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 1 stockings of Carnelian Lake in 1 of the years 2025 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 4,000 black crappie adults. Species stocked: black crappie.
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 Carnelian Lake was in August 2016: 6 gill nets and 9 trap nets caught 13 species. This survey is 10 years old. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in May 2024; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 1981 1.0 · 1987 2.0 · 1994 1.0 · 2004 1.2 · 2016 1.2
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 1981 14 · 1987 23 · 1994 29 · 2004 14 · 2016 15
Walleye: 7 measured, 15 to 24 in, half 22 in or longer; average 3.4 lb, above normal (normal 1.3–2.5 lb).
Northern pike: 124 measured, 13 to 37 in, half 17 in or longer; average 1.6 lb, below normal (normal 1.6–2.9 lb).
Largemouth bass: 240 measured, 5 to 18 in, half 11 in or longer; average 0.87 lb, normal (normal 0.6–1.2 lb).
Black crappie: 81 measured, 4 to 11 in, half 7 in or longer; average 0.26 lb, normal (normal 0.2–0.5 lb).
Bluegill: 167 measured, 3 to 9 in, half 5 in or longer; average 0.13 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Also caught: black bullhead, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, white sucker, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 8 Aug 2016, 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 10 ft: the Secchi depth across 1 readings, 2016.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Carnelian Lake is 36 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 180 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Carnelian Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 1 stockings of it in 1 of the years 2025 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 4,000 black crappie adults.
Minnesota DNR’s August 2016 standard survey caught 13 species, most often bluegill, northern pike, black crappie and largemouth bass.
About 49% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.