READER’S GUIDE to USING this...
Transcript of READER’S GUIDE to USING this...
READER’S GUIDE to USING this PUBLICATIONYour fishing map guide is a thorough, easy-to-use collection of accurate contour lake maps along with geographic and biologic statistical information to help you locate a lake and enjoy a successful day out on the water of one of Minnesota’s excellent fisheries.
The heart of this book is the contour lake map. Copyrighted maps are used with permission from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and are not intended for navigation. The lakes selected for this guide are confined to those that are accessible to the public.
Each map is accompanied by a detailed write-up. In each piece, you’ll find fishing tips and hot spots specific to the body of water you’re planning to fish.
Lake stocking records and population survey statistics are provided courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and summarized to reflect management trends and objectives for each fishery represented. Please keep in mind that annual fish stocking aspirations are directly affected by state hatchery production levels and sometimes the numbers available for stocking fluctuate considerably.
Detailed area road maps (1:137,500 scale) and lake access information is provided to help you plan your route to the lake. If there is more than one access point on a body of water, the GPS coordinates refer to the primary access. To locate a lake on these road maps, simply use the alphabetical lake listing on the back cover. Turn to that page to find the area road map page and coordinates for the lake. As a cross-reference, the area road maps include numbers on or adjacent to featured lakes, which designate the pages of the lake maps and information. Streams and rivers are also referenced in these area road maps.
While every effort is made to create the most accurate maps possible, the process of merging existing DNR maps with the latest GPS information will cause some slight differences to occur. (Especially on larger, more complicated lakes.) Please use the GPS grids provided in this book only as a guideline.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Gill net: This is the main piece of equipment used for sampling walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, cisco, whitefish, trout, and salmon. The standard gill net is 6 feet tall by 250 feet long, with 5 different mesh sizes. Gill nets are generally set in off shore areas in water deeper than 9 feet. Nets are fished for a period of 24 hours. Fish are captured by swimming into the net and becoming entangled. Fisheries workers record length and weight data from each fish, determine the sex, look for parasites or disease, and remove several of the fishes scales for determining the fishes age. Most of the fish taken in gill nets are
killed, but only a small portion of the lakes fish population is sampled during an individual survey event. The number of gill nets set during a survey is dependant on the lake acreage.
Trap net: This is the main piece of equipment used for sampling bluegill, crappie, and bullheads. The standard trap net is 4 feet tall by 6 feet wide with a 40 foot lead. Trap nets are generally set perpendicular to shore in water less than 8 feet in depth. Nets are fished for a period of 24 hours. Fish are captured by swimming into the lead and following it towards the trap. Most of the fish collected in trap nets are returned back to the water as soon as the necessary biological data is recorded. The number of trap net sets during a survey is dependant on the lake acreage.
Electrofishing: This is a specialized type of equipment that is most often used for sampling largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and young of the year walleye. A boat-mounted generator is used to induce electrical current into the water that stuns the fish, allowing fisheries workers to net the fish for placement in live wells. Most of the fish caught by electrofishing recover rapidly and are promptly returned to the water after the necessary biological data is recorded.
CPUE: An acronym representing “Catch Per Unit of Effort,” a way of representing the density of a species population. Readings are in fish captured per hour or minute of surveying. The higher the CPUE value, the greater the number of fish present.
PSD: An acronym for “Proportional Stock Density,” which is a way of representing the size structure of fish populations. It represents the percentage of “quality-size” fish within a given population. In arriving at this figure, one considers only fish of “stock” length (the size at which members of a given species reach sexual maturity) or greater. Young-of year fish are not included in the calculation. The higher the PSD number, the greater the percentage of “quality” fish within a particular population.
RSD-12 (or -10 or -14, etc.): An acronym for “Relative Stock Density,” which is yet another way of representing the size structure of fish populations. This corresponds to the percentage of fish at a given length or larger within a population. Hence, an RSD-14 reading of 25 for largemouth bass indicates that 25 percent of sexually mature bass are at least 14 inches in length. On another measurement scale, the RSD- values could be stated as “preferred,” “memorable,” or “trophy.”
YAR: An acronym for “Young-(to)-Adult Ratio.” This refers to the proportion of young-of-year fish in relation to adult or “quality-size” fish within a particular population. For balanced populations, the index should be about 1-to-10. In smaller waters, 1-to-3 is considered a reasonable ratio.
Secchi Disk: Used in measuring water clarity, it is a white-colored, plate-size device submerged on the end of a line until it reaches a point where it’s no longer visible; the depth at which this occurs is measured and recorded. In this book, secchi disk readings are given in English measure. Of course, many factors influence water clarity, and secchi disk readings vary according to season, growth of vegetation, weather, location in a lake, even human activity. Hence the readings given are approximations for any lake — snapshots of the water clarity at a given time and in a given location.
LEGEND
Bridge
Campground
Portage Access
Fish Attractors
Fishing Dock (Pier)
Picnic Area
Boat Ramp
Carry Down Access
1 County Road
1 State Highway
1 US Highway
GPS Grid
Flooded Timber
River Mile24
Marked Fishing Spots1
Shore Fishing
Marsh
Emergent Vegetation
Marina
Lily Pads
Submergent Vegetation
Emergent Vegetation
Stumps
Access Information MarkerA
Interstate1
Light & Daymarker300.0
Rocks
Submerged Culvert
Submerged Ruins
Daymarker5
Submerged Rail
Submerged Riverbed35° 30' 00"
90°
02' 3
0"
Submerged Road
Boat tie-up
Manmade Canal
Access by Navigable Channel
White Hazard BuoyW
Red & Green Channel Buoys24AB
24AB
24AB
Bridge
Campground
Portage Access
Fish Attractors
Fishing Dock (Pier)
Picnic Area
Boat Ramp
Carry Down Access
1 County Road
1 State Highway
1 US Highway
GPS Grid
Flooded Timber
River Mile24
Marked Fishing Spots1
Shore Fishing
Marsh
Emergent Vegetation
Marina
Lily Pads
Submergent Vegetation
Emergent Vegetation
Stumps
Access Information MarkerA
Interstate1
Light & Daymarker300.0
Rocks
Submerged Culvert
Submerged Ruins
Daymarker5
Submerged Rail
Submerged Riverbed35° 30' 00"
90°
02' 3
0"
Submerged Road
Boat tie-up
Manmade Canal
Access by Navigable Channel
White Hazard BuoyW
Red & Green Channel Buoys24AB
24AB
24AB
Bridge
Campground
Portage Access
Fish Attractors
Fishing Dock (Pier)
Picnic Area
Boat Ramp
Carry Down Access
1 County Road
1 State Highway
1 US Highway
GPS Grid
Flooded Timber
River Mile24
Marked Fishing Spots1
Shore Fishing
Marsh
Emergent Vegetation
Marina
Lily Pads
Submergent Vegetation
Emergent Vegetation
Stumps
Access Information MarkerA
Interstate1
Light & Daymarker300.0
Rocks
Submerged Culvert
Submerged Ruins
Daymarker5
Submerged Rail
Submerged Riverbed35° 30' 00"
90°
02' 3
0"
Submerged Road
Boat tie-up
Manmade Canal
Access by Navigable Channel
White Hazard BuoyW
Red & Green Channel Buoys24AB
24AB
24AB
Bridge
Campground
Portage Access
Fish Attractors
Fishing Dock (Pier)
Picnic Area
Boat Ramp
Carry Down Access
1 County Road
1 State Highway
1 US Highway
GPS Grid
Flooded Timber
River Mile24
Marked Fishing Spots1
Shore Fishing
Marsh
Emergent Vegetation
Marina
Lily Pads
Submergent Vegetation
Emergent Vegetation
Stumps
Access Information MarkerA
Interstate1
Light & Daymarker300.0
Rocks
Submerged Culvert
Submerged Ruins
Daymarker5
Submerged Rail
Submerged Riverbed35° 30' 00"
90°
02' 3
0"
Submerged Road
Boat tie-up
Manmade Canal
Access by Navigable Channel
White Hazard BuoyW
Red & Green Channel Buoys24AB
24AB
24AB
55
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Crow Wing County WHITEFISH LAKECrow
Wing County W
HITEFISH
LAKEb
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UV192
Pine River
PineRi
ver
UV193
UV189
UV357
UV208
UV234
UV140
UV228
UV195
UV756
UV145
UV146
UV902
UV194
UV200
UV361
UV112
Spr
i ng
Br o
ok
UV154
UV120
UV340
UV212 UV172
UV660
UV214
UV103
UV202
UV182UV1190
UV236
UV157UV132
UV204
UV207
UV134
UV235
UV219
UV223
UV221UV1161
UV1
UV368
Willow
Cre
ek
PelicanBrookUV5080
UV371
UV158
UV39
UV3
UV17
UV15
UV16
UV36
UV66
UV11
Lake Ossawinnamakee
PigLake
Isla
ndLa
k e
Arrowhead
Lake
HenLake
WestFox Lake
ClamshellLake
PelicanLake
BigTrout Lake
Uppe
rHa
yLa
ke
Big Pine
Lake
Dagget LakeRush Lake
StrawberryLake
WhitefishLake
Bertha
Lake
CrossLake
Clea
rLa
ke
LowerH
ayLake
DewdropLake
MudLake
GrassLake
McClainLake
Little Beaver Lake
DuckLake
Rat Lake
IslandLake
RatLake
ClearLake
RushLake
NelsonLake
LittleOx Lake
Ox
Lake
Hooligans Hole
LittleStar Lake
Meyer Lake
LundLake
Fern Lake
CorralLake
Arla's Pond
FawnLake
Star LakeBass
Lake
Little Bass Lake
Crosslake
BreezyPoint
FiftyLakes
ManhattanBeach
PequotLakes
CROW WINGSTATE FOREST
Cross Lake
SwanburgArea map page / coordinates: 8 / E-2,3 & 12 / A-2,3Watershed: PineSurface water area / shorelength: 7,370 acres / 28.4 milesMaximum / mean depth: 138 feet / 47 feetWater color / clarity: Light green / 13 ft. secchi (2001)Shoreland zoning classification: General developmentManagement class / Ecological type: Walleye-centrarchid /centrarchid-walleyeAccessibility: 1) State-owned public access with concrete ramp on west shore, just south of Pine River inlet; 2) COE-owned public access with concrete ramp on north shore of Clamshell Lake; 3) county-owned public access with concrete ramp on south shore of Pig LakeAccommodations: Resorts, camping, picnicking
FISH STOCKING DATAyear species size # released00 Walleye Fingerling 111,68802 Walleye Fry 9,200,00003 Walleye Adult 2,71803 Walleye Fingerling 32,63103 Walleye Fry 17,000,00003 Walleye Yearling 18,96303 Walleye Yearling 003 Walleye Fingerling 1,35304 Walleye Adult 3,20104 Walleye Fingerling 44,53104 Walleye Fry 13,140,00004 Walleye Yearling 14005 Walleye Fry 13,907,056
NET CATCH DATA Date: 08/01/2005 Gill Nets Trap Nets
species # per netavg. fish
weight (lbs.) # per netavg. fish
weight (lbs.)Black Crappie 0.6 0.56 3.3 0.38Bluegill 1.2 0.24 22.6 0.14Bowfin (Dogfish) 0.1 5.99 1.6 4.27Common Shiner - - 0.5 0.07Hybrid Sunfish trace 0.55 1.6 0.23Lake Whitefish 0.3 1.03 - -Largemouth Bass 1.4 1.32 2.6 0.77Northern Pike 12.3 2.18 0.8 1.88Pumpkinseed Sunfish 0.3 0.11 1.7 0.22Rock Bass 1.7 0.48 1.1 0.24Smallmouth Bass trace 2.43 - -Walleye 5.0 1.23 0.4 0.82Yellow Bullhead 3.3 0.75 2.0 0.55Yellow Perch 6.7 0.10 0.1 0.10
LENGTH OF SELECTED SPECIES SAMPLED FROM ALL GEARNumber of fish caught for the following length categories (inches):
species 0-5 6-8 9-11 12-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 >30 Total Black Crappie 3 51 51 - - - - - 105Bluegill 333 161 - - - - - - 494Brown Bullhead 1 7 9 2 - - - - 19Hybrid Sunfish 19 29 - - - - - - 48Lake Whitefish - 1 2 1 2 - - - 6Largemouth Bass 4 34 24 34 10 - - - 106Northern Pike - - 4 7 123 151 27 5 317Pumpkin. Sunfish 29 27 - - - - - - 56Rock Bass 13 46 13 - - - - - 72Smallmouth Bass - - - - 1 - - - 1Tullibee (Cisco) - 29 17 - - - - - 46Walleye - 10 65 22 20 10 6 - 133Yellow Bullhead 3 21 95 16 - - - - 135Yellow Perch 107 42 3 - - - - - 152
FISHING INFORMATION
Whitefish Lake is the namesake of the Whitefish Chain, a series of 11 lakes on the Pine River. Whitefish itself was once three separate lakes which ran together with damming of the river. In many ways the big lake is still three separate fisheries, and you will want to know each of them. There’s a lot of structure, including islands, channels, points, bars, and vegetation.
The lake is well-stocked with walleyes and has a big popu-lation of northern pike, as well as bass and panfish. Carol Ottoson, owner of The Bait Box & Marina, 36624 County Road 66, Cross lake, MN 56422 (218) 692-3850, says wall-eyes are probably the most fished-for species. They’re nice, and one spot is famous for them: the shore-to-shore sand bar that separates the lower basin from the middle one (Spot 1). This is officially known as “Father Foley’s Bar,” and boats surround it as though communion were being offered. Many other places also hold walleyes. In the lower (east) basin there is Butternut Point (Spot 2). On the south, there’s the entrance to Pig Lake (Spot 3). And, then there are the sharp drop-offs just off the shoreline on the north side (Spot 4). In the middle basin, look for Fish House Point (Spot 5) and the good humps in the southwest (Spots 6). The upper basin sports some fine bars on its west side (Spots 7), and on the north side (Spots 8). Work these with a bottom rig and leech or shiner minnow early. As the water warms, you’ll find the walleyes in deeper water off the points and islands.
Look for largemouth bass, meanwhile, in the thicker weedbeds, especially those close to the channels. There aren’t many smallmouths, but the lower basin and the smaller connecting lakes are decent. Northern pike can be found all over the three basins. The steep drop-offs east of Father Foley’s Bar (Spot 9) are a good spots, as are most outside weed edges.
Big TroutLake
16
16
Upper Whitefish Lake ArrowheadLake
BerthaLake
Clamshell Lake
40
10
30
5069'
27'
20
60
60
15
40
20
11'
15
20
10
30
20
4050
1030
20
40
50
60
10
20
1010
10
30
20
4050
70
70
80
86'
60
30
20
40
50
30
20
40
50
60
68'
30
24'24'
30
50
15
30
55'
3020
4010
46'
Ruttger'sBay
30
20
40
40 60
70
80
88'
70
60
56'
60
30 2040
30
20
40
60
70
20
29'
3040'
6050'
15'
20
4030
10
5056'
PigLake
20
40
30
50
30
23'
23'
3040
5063'
7'10
20
40
103'
90
90
100
60
89'
7'
10
20
5040
80
70
60
130
100
9080
110
120
20
50
30
40
70100
90
110
17'
15'20
30
90
88'110
120
5070
100
90
110
20
30
40
70
60
130138'Max
130120
Knutson P
oint
Wabigoniss Point
Butternut P
ointFish House
Point
Ruttger's Point
PickerelPoint
SimpsonBar
WillowBar
KilworryBar
WillowCreekBay
21'
50
Pine RBar
ToIndianIsland
15
Swede'sBar
SteamboatIsland
Less than10'
Lower Whitefish Lake
IslandLake
Rush-HenLake
LowerHayLake
16
30
20
40
50
50'
E.V. = Emergent VegetationS.V. = Submergent VegetationF V. = Floating Vegetation
120
3
5
7
7
7
9
8
8
6
4
4
2
1
1
2
3
46° 42' 00"
94° 17' 00"
94° 16' 00"
94° 15' 00"
94° 14' 00"
94° 13' 00"
94° 12' 00"
94° 11' 00"
94° 10' 00"
94° 09' 00"
94° 16' 30"
94° 15' 30"
94° 14' 30"
94° 13' 30"
94° 12' 30"
94° 11' 30"
94° 10' 30"
94° 09' 30"
94° 08' 30"
46° 43' 00"
46° 41' 00"
46° 40' 00"
46° 42' 30"
46° 41' 30"
46° 40' 30"
56 Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, USGS © Copyright Sportsman's Connection. All Rights Reserved.
WHIT
EFIS
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AKE
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NOT FOR NAVIGATION
Big TroutLake
16
16
Upper Whitefish Lake ArrowheadLake
BerthaLake
Clamshell Lake
40
10
30
5069'
27'
20
60
60
15
40
20
11'
15
20
10
30
20
4050
1030
20
40
50
60
10
20
1010
10
30
20
4050
70
70
80
86'
60
30
20
40
50
30
20
40
50
60
68'
30
24'24'
30
50
15
30
55'
3020
4010
46'
Ruttger'sBay
30
20
40
40 60
70
80
88'
70
60
56'
60
30 2040
30
20
40
60
70
20
29'
3040'
6050'
15'
20
4030
10
5056'
PigLake
20
40
30
50
30
23'
23'
3040
5063'
7'10
20
40
103'
90
90
100
60
89'
7'
10
20
5040
80
70
60
130
100
9080
110
120
20
50
30
40
70100
90
110
17'
15'20
30
90
88'110
120
5070
100
90
110
20
30
40
70
60
130138'Max
130120
Knutson P
oint
Wabigoniss Point
Butternut P
ointFish House
Point
Ruttger's Point
PickerelPoint
SimpsonBar
WillowBar
KilworryBar
WillowCreekBay
21'
50
Pine RBar
ToIndianIsland
15
Swede'sBar
SteamboatIsland
Less than10'
Lower Whitefish Lake
IslandLake
Rush-HenLake
LowerHayLake
16
30
20
40
50
50'
E.V. = Emergent VegetationS.V. = Submergent VegetationF V. = Floating Vegetation
120
3
5
7
7
7
9
8
8
6
4
4
2
1
1
2
3
46° 42' 00"
94° 17' 00"
94° 16' 00"
94° 15' 00"
94° 14' 00"
94° 13' 00"
94° 12' 00"
94° 11' 00"
94° 10' 00"
94° 09' 00"
94° 16' 30"
94° 15' 30"
94° 14' 30"
94° 13' 30"
94° 12' 30"
94° 11' 30"
94° 10' 30"
94° 09' 30"
94° 08' 30"
46° 43' 00"
46° 41' 00"
46° 40' 00"
46° 42' 30"
46° 41' 30"
46° 40' 30"
57Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, USGS © Copyright Sportsman's Connection. All Rights Reserved.
WHITEFISH
LAKEw
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NOT FOR NAVIGATION