Francis

Francis is a moderate-sized lake (1,053 acres) located northeast of the Town of Kingston in Meeker County. A township-owned access with paved parking and a single cement boat ramp is present on the north shore. Francis has approximately seven miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of seventeen feet. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has divided Minnesota's lakes into 44 different classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Francis is a class 24 lake and other similar waterbodies in the Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area are Erie and Manuella Lakes in Meeker County. Francis's 2021 lake management plan listed Largemouth Bass as primary management species, while Black Crappie were secondary species. Netting was completed in 2025 to monitor the fish population. High numbers of Largemouth Bass were gill netted in 2025, and size was mediocre. Largemouth Bass averaged 13 inches in length. The maximum length of bass sampled was an impressive 18 inches. Moderate numbers of Black Crappie were netted in 2025, and average size was good (8.5 inches in length). The longest Black Crappie gill netted was a respectable12 inches. Low numbers of Walleye were netted, but average length was large (22 inches). The longest Walleye sampled was just under 24 inches. Walleye were last stocked in 2016. Walleye stocking was discontinued due to poor survival of fingerlings. Moderate numbers of Bluegill were trap netted and keeper-sized fish were present. Approximately 34 percent of the trap net catch was 6 inches or longer. Bluegill maximum length was just over 8 inches. High numbers of Northern Pike were gill netted this year with fish averaging an unimpressive 16 inches in length. The longest pike netted was 28 inches. Francis Lake continued to be plagued with an over-abundance of small pike. Northern Pike regulations were revised at a statewide level beginning in 2018 to better accommodate regional differences in pike habitats, population abundances and size structures. Three management zones were established for Northern Pike, with their own bag limit and length limit restrictions. In the north-central zone, where Francis Lake is found, anglers can keep ten Northern Pike, but only two can be over 26 inches in length. All pike between 22 and 26 inches must be released immediately. This zone regulation is meant to increase Northern Pike size structure (more bigger fish) and to decrease the number of small fish - an attempt to restore balance to the population. The regulation will be evaluated on a state-wide basis after 2028. Additional fishes sampled in the 2025 nets included Black Bullhead, Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed and Yellow Bullhead. People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Overharvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are typically moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters and lakeshore owners, and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. Francis Lake has the AIS Zebra mussel. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and drain all lake water from their boat and bait buckets before leaving the lake. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local MNDNR office. Additional information on all these topics can be found on the MNDNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Hutchinson Area Fisheries office.

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species for Lake Francis was conducted on June 17th, 18th, and 24th, 2025 by Hutchinson area fisheries Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all fourteen sampling stations. Three stations were electrofished from the boat. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample eleven stations. Site conditions prevented the use of seines at three stations. Nearshore sampling captured 21 species of fish including five species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Iowa Darter, Least Darter, Blacknose Shiner, Blackchin Shiner, Pugnose Shiner, and Banded Killifish) and two species (i.e., Common Carp and Green Sunfish) that are tolerant of disturbance. The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a July 2025 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI tool 7 was used for scoring, which resulted in an FIBI score of 71. This score is above the general use impairment threshold (36) for this tool. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Banded Killifish, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.

Francis is a moderate-sized lake (1,053 acres) located northeast of the Town of Kingston in Meeker County. A state-owned access with paved parking and a single cement boat ramp is available on the north shore. Francis has approximately seven miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of seventeen feet. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has divided Minnesota's lakes into 44 different classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Francis is a class 24 lake and other similar waterbodies in the Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area are Erie and Belle Lakes in Meeker County. This was the second time that spring trap netting was used to monitor the Francis Lake panfish populations. Low numbers of Black Crappie were sampled, with fish averaging a typical 8.0 inches in length, but spring water temperature was above the recommended range to collect crappie, so catch rate may not reflect true relative abundance of the species. Approximately 13 percent of the trap net catch was 9 inches or longer. The longest Black Crappie sampled was respectable 9.8 inches. High numbers of Bluegill were sampled, and average length was decent (6.6 inches). The longest Bluegill sampled was an impressive 8.4 inches. An striking 46 percent of the trap net catch was 7 inches or longer, but only 2 percent of the catch was 8 inches in length or longer. Other panfish sampled included Hybrid Sunfish and Pumpkinseed. People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Overharvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are typically moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters and lakeshore owners, and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. Francis Lake has the AIS Zebra mussel. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and drain all lake water from their boat and bait buckets before leaving the lake. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local MNDNR office. Additional information on all these topics can be found on the MNDNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Hutchinson Area Fisheries office.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Largemouth Bass, Hybrid Sunfish, Black Crappie, Walleye, and Northern Pike in Francis. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Francis. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Francis has a maximum depth of 17 feet and a mean depth of 8.5 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Francis is from 2025.

Yes — Francis has confirmed zebra mussel. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.