Dunns

Dunns is a small-sized lake (151 acres) located north of the city of Darwin in Meeker County. A small state-owned access with gravel parking and a single cement boat ramp is available on the north shore. Dunns has approximately two miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of twenty feet. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has divided Minnesota's lakes into 44 different classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Dunns is a class 30 lake and other similar waterbodies in the Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area are Little Swan and Little Mud Lakes in Meeker County. Dunns 2019 lake management plan listed Walleye as primary management species, while Black Crappie and White Crappie were secondary species. Netting was completed in 2024 to monitor the fish population. Dunn's lake is best known for its crappie. While the size structure may not always be great, there are plenty of fish to be caught. Black Crappie make up the majority of the crappie population. The 2024 survey had plenty of Black Crappie in the catch and the size structure in the spring trap nets was very good with fish up to 14" sampled. Dunn's Lake also has White Crappie. This population is extremely variable; based on catches in gill nets and spring trap nets, white crappie appear to be in a down cycle currently. One benefit of having both Black and White Crappie is that Hybrid Crappie can be found in Dunn's lake and these fish can grow into very large proportions. Dunn's lake can have some very good bass fishing. While no electrofishing took place in 2024, there have been reports of good days on Dunn's from anglers. Fish up to 18 inches were sampled in gill nets in 2024. More extensive bass survey work will take place in the future to track the bass population. Walleye have struggled in Dunn's Lake. The 2018 survey was the first survey where more than a token amount of Walleye were sampled. The 2024 survey had a better catch rate than historically seen. The switch to fry stocking in 2022 may support a more consistent Walleye population. Most Walleye sampled in 2024 were from the first Walleye fry stocking in 2022. Bluegill are the last species that anglers may want to look for in Dunn's Lake. Good numbers were caught in spring trap nets. The size could be better, but anglers should be able to find enough for a meal. Additional fishes sampled in the 2024 gill nets included Black Bullhead, Common Carp, Northern Pike, White Sucker, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch. 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. 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.

Dunns is a small-sized lake (151 acres) located north of the city of Darwin in Meeker County. A small state-owned access with gravel parking and a single cement boat ramp is available on the north shore. Dunns has approximately two miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of twenty feet. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has divided Minnesota's lakes into 44 different classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Dunns is a class 30 lake and other similar waterbodies in the Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area are Little Swan and Little Mud Lakes in Meeker County. Dunns 2019 lake management plan listed Walleye as primary management species, while Black Crappie and White Crappie were secondary species. Netting was completed in 2024 to monitor the fish population. Dunn's lake is best known for its crappie. While the size structure may not always be great, there are plenty of fish to be caught. Black Crappie make up the majority of the crappie population. The 2024 survey had plenty of Black Crappie in the catch and the size structure in the spring trap nets was very good with fish up to 14" sampled. Dunn's Lake also has White Crappie. This population is extremely variable; based on catches in gill nets and spring trap nets, white crappie appear to be in a down cycle currently. One benefit of having both Black and White Crappie is that Hybrid Crappie can be found in Dunn's lake and these fish can grow into very large proportions. Dunn's lake can have some very good bass fishing. While no electrofishing took place in 2024, there have been reports of good days on Dunn's from anglers. Fish up to 18 inches were sampled in gill nets in 2024. More extensive bass survey work will take place in the future to track the bass population. Walleye have struggled in Dunn's Lake. The 2018 survey was the first survey where more than a token amount of Walleye were sampled. The 2024 survey had a better catch rate than historically seen. The switch to fry stocking in 2022 may support a more consistent Walleye population. Most Walleye sampled in 2024 were from the first Walleye fry stocking in 2022. Bluegill are the last species that anglers may want to look for in Dunn's Lake. Good numbers were caught in spring trap nets. The size could be better, but anglers should be able to find enough for a meal. Additional fishes sampled in the 2024 gill nets included Black Bullhead, Common Carp, Northern Pike, White Sucker, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch. 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. 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.

Dunns is a small-sized lake (151 acres) located north of the city of Darwin in Meeker County. A state-owned access with gravel parking and a single cement boat ramp is located on the north shore. Dunns has approximately two miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of twenty feet. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has divided Minnesota's lakes into 44 different classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Dunns is a class 30 lake and other similar waterbodies in the Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area are Little Mud and Little Swan Lakes in Meeker County. Good numbers of Black Crappie and Bluegill were sampled The average Black Crappie was 8.6 inches in length, and approximately 36% of the catch was 9 inches or longer. The longest Black Crappie sampled was 14.1 inches. Bluegill average size was small (5.3 inches), and the longest Bluegill sampled was 8.2 inches. Approximately 19% of the trap net catch was 7 inches or longer, but only 1% of the catch exceeded 8 inches in length. Anglers should find plenty of panfish biting at Dunns but may need to sort through some small ones to get a meal of keepers. Anglers seeking memorable-sized crappie could have some luck at this lake. 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. 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 Walleye, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Black Crappie in Dunns. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Dunns has a maximum depth of 20 feet and a mean depth of 12 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Dunns is from 2024.

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