Lake information report

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Name: CALHOUN

Nearest Town: MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Primary County: Hennepin
Survey Date: 07/25/2005
Inventory Number: 27-0031-00
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Public Access Information

Ownership Type Description
City Concrete Access owned and maintained by the Minneapolis Parks Dept. Public boat launch is located on the NE corner or the lake.


Lake Characteristics

Lake Area (acres): 401.00
Littoral Area (acres): 123.00
Maximum Depth (ft): 82.00
Water Clarity (ft): 12.50

Dominant Bottom Substrate: N/A
Abundance of Aquatic Plants: N/A
Maximum Depth of Plant Growth (ft): N/A


Did you know? Minnesota waters support 153 species of fish.

Fish Sampled up to the 2005 Survey Year

Species

Gear Used

Number of fish per net

Average Fish Weight (lbs)

Normal Range (lbs)

Caught

Normal Range

Black Crappie Gill net 1.7 2.5 - 16.5 0.14 0.1 - 0.3
  Trap net 8.7 1.8 - 21.2 0.14 0.2 - 0.3
Bluegill Gill net 20.4 N/A - N/A 0.15 N/A - N/A
  Trap net 65.4 7.5 - 62.5 0.11 0.1 - 0.3
Bowfin (Dogfish) Trap net 0.1 0.4 - 1.3 2.55 2.3 - 4.1
Common Carp Trap net 0.1 0.4 - 2.0 11.46 2.6 - 6.0
Hybrid Sunfish Gill net 0.1 N/A - N/A 0.22 N/A - N/A
  Trap net 1.1 N/A - N/A 0.11 N/A - N/A
Largemouth Bass Gill net 0.3 0.3 - 0.8 1.73 0.4 - 1.0
  Trap net 0.3 0.2 - 0.7 0.19 0.2 - 0.9
Northern Pike Gill net 2.6 1.5 - 7.3 4.95 2.0 - 3.5
  Trap net 0.1 N/A - N/A 6.28 N/A - N/A
Pumpkinseed Sunfish Gill net 0.2 N/A - N/A 0.11 N/A - N/A
  Trap net 1.7 0.7 - 4.2 0.10 0.1 - 0.2
Painted Turtle Trap net 0.2 N/A - N/A ND N/A - N/A
Softshell Turtle Trap net 0.2 N/A - N/A ND N/A - N/A
Tiger Muskellunge Gill net 0.1 N/A - N/A 6.06 N/A - N/A
  Trap net 0.1 N/A - N/A 0.59 N/A - N/A
Walleye Gill net 1.2 1.2 - 6.3 2.86 1.2 - 2.7
  Trap net 0.7 0.3 - 1.2 0.36 0.8 - 2.8
White Sucker Gill net 0.1 0.4 - 2.2 1.04 1.5 - 2.4
  Trap net 0.2 0.2 - 1.0 1.34 1.6 - 2.8
Yellow Perch Gill net 6.4 2.0 - 27.9 0.11 0.1 - 0.2
  Trap net 0.7 0.3 - 1.7 0.09 0.1 - 0.2
Normal Ranges represent typical catches for lakes with similar physical and chemical characteristics.


Length of Selected Species Sampled for All Gear for the 2005 Survey Year

Species Number of fish caught in each category (inches)
0-5 6-8 9-11 12-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30+ Total
Black Crappie 0 91 2 0 0 0 0 0 93
Bluegill 173 105 0 0 0 0 0 0 278
Hybrid Sunfish 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 11
Largemouth Bass 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 6
Northern Pike 0 0 0 0 0 9 8 6 23
Pumpkinseed Sunfish 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 17
Tiger Muskellunge 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2
Walleye 0 3 5 1 1 6 1 0 17
Yellow Perch 22 42 0 0 0 0 0 0 64


For the record, the largest Smallmouth Bass taken in Minnesota weighed 8 lbs. and was caught:

    Where: W. Battle Lake, Otter Tail County
    When: 1948

Fish Stocking Activity

Fish Stocked by Species for the Last Ten Years

Year Species Size Number Pounds
2009 Tiger Muskellunge* fingerlings 480 141.2
  Walleye yearlings 248 90.0
  Walleye fingerlings 7,561 256.9
  Walleye fingerlings 2,430 212.8
2007 Tiger Muskellunge* fingerlings 500 191.6
2006 Walleye fingerlings 2,356 567.0
2005 Tiger Muskellunge* fingerlings 176 51.8
  Tiger Muskellunge* fingerlings 324 95.3
2003 Walleye fingerlings 2,569 367.0
  Walleye fingerlings 2,976 308.2
2002 Tiger Muskellunge fingerlings 500 98.8
2001 Walleye fingerlings 12,654 393.4
2000 Muskellunge adults 107 324.0
  Walleye yearlings 1,790 640.0

Privately Stocked Fish
* indicates privately stocked fish. Private stocking includes fish purchased by the DNR for stocking and fish purchased and stocked by private citizens and sporting groups.

Stocking Fish Sizes
Fry - Newly hatched fish that are ready to be stocked usually called "swim-ups". Walleye fry are 1/3 of an inch or around 8 mm.
Fingerling - Fingerlings are one to six months old and can range from a size of one to twelve inches depending on the species. Walleye fingerlings range from three to eight inches each fall.
Yearling - Yearling fish are at least one year old. A one-year-old fish can range from three to twenty inches depending on the species. Walleye yearlings average from six to twelve inches.
Adult - Adult fish are fish that have reached maturity. Depending on the species, maturity can be reached at two years of age. Walleye reach maturity between the ages of four and six years.

Fish Consumption Guidelines

These fish consumption guidelines help people make choices about which fish to eat and how often. Following the guidelines enables people to reduce their exposure to contaminants while still enjoying the many benefits from fish.

Pregnant Women, Women who may become pregnant and Children under age 15

LAKE NAME
County, DOWID
Species Meal Advice Contaminants
Unrestricted 1 meal/week 1 meal/month Do not eat
CALHOUN
Hennepin Co., 27003100
Bluegill Sunfish     All sizes   Mercury PFOS
Crappie     All sizes   Mercury PFOS
Largemouth Bass     All sizes   PFOS
Northern Pike     All sizes   Mercury
Walleye   shorter than 15" 15" or longer   Mercury
White Sucker   All sizes     Mercury

General Population

LAKE NAME
County, DOWID
Species Meal Advice Contaminants
Unrestricted 1 meal/week 1 meal/month Do not eat
CALHOUN
Hennepin Co., 27003100
Bluegill Sunfish     All sizes   PFOS
Crappie     All sizes   PFOS
Largemouth Bass     All sizes   PFOS
Northern Pike   All sizes     Mercury
Walleye   shorter than 20" 20" or longer   Mercury
White Sucker All sizes        

DOWID - MN DNR, Divion of Waters' lake ID number.

Contaminants listed were measured at levels high enough to warrant a recommendation to limit consumption.

Listing of consumption guidelines do not imply the fish are legal to keep, MN DNR fishing regulations should be consulted.

Dioxin
Mercury
PCBS - Polychlorinated biphenyls
PFOS - Perfluorooctane sulfanate


Status of the Fishery (as of 07/25/2005)

Walleye and tiger muskellunge are the primary management species in Lake Calhoun. Walleye were less abundant, smaller and younger than in the 2003 survey. The catch of 1.2 per gillnet is above the 25th percentile level for this lake class. Mean length and weight is 18.2 inches and 3.9 pounds. As in the 2003 survey, the population is well represented by the 1999 year-class of walleyes stocked as yearlings (35% of the catch), but 53% of the sample consisted of Age-II walleyes stocked as fingerlings in 2003. These 2003 year-class walleye average 10 inches.

Hybrid or tiger muskellunge are infrequently sampled with standard survey gear, however, 2 were sampled in this survey. The mean length and weight from combined gear-types was 23.1 inches and 3.3 pounds. One individual was 29.9 inches and 6.1 pounds and originated from the 2002 year-class. The other was 16.3 inches and 0.6 pounds and was Age-I. Growth rates are about average.

Northern pike are less abundant larger and older than they were in the 2003 survey. The catch of 2.6 per gillnet is between 25th percentile and median levels for this lake type. Mean length and weight is 26.9 inches and 5.0 pounds. Pike average age is 4.6 years due to a strong 2000 year-class (constituting 45% of the sample).

Black crappie trap net abundance is just above median levels for class 24 lakes. The average length is 6.8 inches. Only 3 crappie sampled were larger than 8 inches. The average age increased from 3.2 years in 2003 to 3.8 years and growth rates did not change substantially from the last survey.

The bluegill size structure in Calhoun continues to be poor. They are abundant in 75th percentile levels. The catch of 65.4 per trap net is lower than that of the 2003 and 2000 at which time catches were quite high. Average length and weight is up slightly but is still only 5.6 inches and 0.11 pounds (9.1 to the pound). Growth rates are slightly below average as they were in 2003.

Yellow perch abundance increased slightly from the 2003 survey after precipitously declining from historic highs in 2000. The catch of 6.4 per gillnet is below median levels. Mean length is 6.3 inches with no individuals over 8.2 inches. Perch in Calhoun are hence valuable as a forage source but they are of little interest to anglers looking for a harvest. Growth rates are slightly below average.


For more information on this lake, contact:

Area Fisheries Supervisor
9925 Valley View Rd
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Phone: (952) 826-6771
Internet: West Metro Fisheries
E-Mail: MetroWest.Fisheries@state.mn.us

Lake maps can be obtained from:

Minnesota Bookstore
660 Olive Street
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 297-3000 or (800) 657-3757
To order, use C2718 for the map-id.


For general DNR Information, contact:

DNR Information Center
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155-4040
TDD: (651) 296-6157 or (888) MINNDNR
Internet: www.dnr.state.mn.us
E-Mail: info.dnr@state.mn.us

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