Cable

Polk County

Near Mentor

DOW: 60029300

Northern PikeExcellent · 76Black CrappieGood · 53BluegillAverage · 43

A 194-acre lake near Mentor in Polk County — best known for pike and panfish. Last surveyed 1990.

Fish Species (10)

Northern Pike

Excellent · 76

Typical numbers · large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

4.38 lbs

Catch rate: 4.3 per gill net · typical 1.5–7 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 20, 1990	4.33	-	4.38 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 20, 1990	0.33	-	2.00 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 12, 1980	13.00	-	0.99 lbs	Standard gill nets

Black Crappie

Stocked 2024

Good · 53

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.14 lbs

Catch rate: 8.7 per gill net · typical 1.5–14.7 for a lake like this

Stocked with fingerlings once · 1,000 fish total

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 20, 1990	8.67	-	0.14 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 20, 1990	1.67	-	0.16 lbs	Standard trap nets

Stocking Details

Year	Size	Number	Pounds	Agency
2024	fingerlings	1,000	66.7	Private citizens and sporting groups

Bluegill

Average · 43

Typical numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.17 lbs

Catch rate: 12.3 per trap net · typical 1.9–29.5 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 20, 1990	12.33	-	0.17 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 20, 1990	1.00	-	0.17 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 12, 1980	0.67	-	0.55 lbs	Standard trap nets

Yellow Perch

Stocked 2024

Average · 40

Typical numbers · small fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.07 lbs

Catch rate: 9.7 per gill net · typical 3–26.5 for a lake like this

Stocked with fingerlings once · 1,000 fish total

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 20, 1990	2.00	-	0.12 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 20, 1990	9.67	-	0.07 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 12, 1980	3.67	-	0.39 lbs	Standard trap nets

Stocking Details

Year	Size	Number	Pounds	Agency
2024	fingerlings	1,000	40.0	Private citizens and sporting groups

Largemouth Bass

Average · 40

Average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.20 lbs

Catch rate: 0.33 per gill net · typical 0.5–1 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 20, 1990	0.33	-	0.20 lbs	Standard gill nets

Pumpkinseed

Average · 33

Typical numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.06 lbs

Catch rate: 1.2 per trap net · typical 0.8–8.4 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 20, 1990	3.67	-	0.09 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 20, 1990	1.17	-	0.06 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 12, 1980	0.33	-	0.05 lbs	Standard trap nets

Other species in this lake (4)

Rough fish, bullheads, and baitfish recorded in DNR surveys — present in the lake, but not typical angling targets.

Brown Bullhead

Good · 61

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.30 lbs

Catch rate: 6.5 per trap net · typical 1.4–6.6 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 20, 1990	6.50	-	0.30 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 12, 1980	11.00	-	0.39 lbs	Standard trap nets

Black Bullhead

Average · 46

Typical numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.08 lbs

Catch rate: 46.2 per trap net · typical 2.2–60.5 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 20, 1990	16.67	-	0.08 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 20, 1990	46.17	-	0.08 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 12, 1980	66.00	-	0.22 lbs	Standard gill nets

Common Carp

Average · 45

Typical numbers · small fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.25 lbs

Catch rate: 3.3 per gill net · typical 0.3–4.2 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 20, 1990	3.33	-	0.25 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 20, 1990	0.33	-	10.35 lbs	Standard trap nets

White Sucker

Average · 39

Typical numbers · small fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1980

Last surveyed 1980 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.90 lbs

Catch rate: 0.67 per gill net · typical 0.5–7.4 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 12, 1980	0.67	-	0.90 lbs	Standard gill nets

See the best northern pike lakes in Minnesota

Fishing Regulations

Statewide limits

Standard statewide Minnesota limits for the species in this lake.

Northern Pike

Season: May 9, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

North-central zone

Angling: 10 (not more than 2 over 26". All from 22-26" must be immediatley released).

Largemouth Bass

Season: Mar 1, 2026 – May 22, 2026

Largemouth bass in the Southern and North-central zones

Catch-and-release only

Largemouth Bass

Season: May 23, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

Largemouth bass in the Southern and North-central zones

6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth (when smallmouth season is open)

Crappie

10 combined total

Sunfish

20 combined total

Perch

20 daily and 40 in possession

More statewide rules (spearing, rough fish)

Northern Pike

Season: Nov 15, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

North-central zone

Darkhouse spearing: 10 (only 1 between 22-26" and 1 over 26"; or, only 2 over 26").

Bowfin, buffalo, carp, carpsuckers, freshwater drum, goldeneye, redhorse, and suckers

no limit

Bullhead

100

Biologist Notes

August 20, 1990NORTHERN PIKE RECRUITMENT APPEARS SPORADIC ALTHOUG H ABUNDANCE IS AVERAGE FOR SIMILAR LAKE TYPES. GR OWTH RATES ARE RAPID AND AVERAGE WEIGHTS ARE ABOV…

NORTHERN PIKE RECRUITMENT APPEARS SPORADIC ALTHOUG H ABUNDANCE IS AVERAGE FOR SIMILAR LAKE TYPES. GR OWTH RATES ARE RAPID AND AVERAGE WEIGHTS ARE ABOVE NORMAL (>4 LB.) FOR PIKE. THE INCREASING BLUE- GILL POPULATION EXHIBITS AVERAGE ABUNDANCE AND GOO D INDIVIDUAL GROWTH RATES. BLACK CRAPPIE NUMBERS ARE LOW BUT HAVE INCREASED, AS HAVE MOST SPECIES S INCE THE 1977 WINTERKILL. LARGEMOUTH BASS AND CAR P ARE PRESENT. BLACK BULLHEADS ARE PLENTIFUL, TYP ICAL FOR LAKES IN ITS CLASSIFICATION. YELLOW PERC H ALSO SHOW ABUNDANCE EQUAL TO THAT OF COMPARABLE WATERS.

August 12, 1980(amts & crrspndng wtr lvls of Maple & (Cable. There is a stop-log dam on the E (end of the culvert (Hwy 12), used by the (Maple Lk Assoc. to cntrl wtr…

(amts & crrspndng wtr lvls of Maple & (Cable. There is a stop-log dam on the E (end of the culvert (Hwy 12), used by the (Maple Lk Assoc. to cntrl wtr flw frm Mpl Bullhead population extremely large. N Pike numerous but small in size. Other fish species well below average.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish can you catch in Cable?

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, and Largemouth Bass in Cable. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Is there public access at Cable?

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Cable. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

How deep is Cable?

Cable has a maximum depth of 14 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

When were the main sport fish in Cable last surveyed?

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Cable is from 1990. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

Does Cable have any invasive species?

No invasive species are on record for Cable in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.

Are there special fishing regulations on Cable?

No — Cable has no lake-specific regulations in the 2026 Minnesota DNR regulations, so statewide Minnesota limits apply. The statewide crappie limit is: 10 combined total. Verify current rules with the Minnesota DNR before keeping fish.