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| Nearest Town: Maple Grove Primary County: Hennepin Survey Date: 07/25/2011 Inventory Number: 27011101 |
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| Ownership | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| DNR | Gravel |
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Lake Area (acres): 287.21 |
Dominant Bottom Substrate: N/A |
| Did you know? MinnAqua Fishing: Get in the Habitat! has a Minnesota-base activity guide for teachers, scout and 4-H leaders, youth leaders, outdoor sports groups, or anyone interested in teaching others about habitat, stewardship and fishing. |
| Species | Number of fish per net | Average Fish Weight (lbs) |
Normal Range (lbs) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caught | |||||
| Black Crappie | Trap net | 3.00 | 1.8 - 21.2 | 0.20 | 0.2 - 0.3 |
| Gill net | 5.83 | 2.5 - 16.5 | 0.18 | 0.1 - 0.3 | |
| Bluegill | Trap net | 23.12 | 7.5 - 62.5 | 0.12 | 0.1 - 0.3 |
| Gill net | 20.67 | N/A | 0.12 | N/A | |
| Common Carp | Trap net | 0.12 | 0.4 - 2.0 | 19.74 | 2.6 - 6.0 |
| Golden Shiner | Gill net | 1.83 | 0.3 - 1.5 | 0.11 | 0.1 - 0.1 |
| Green Sunfish | Trap net | 0.12 | 0.2 - 1.3 | 0.10 | 0.1 - 0.2 |
| Hybrid Sunfish | Trap net | 0.50 | N/A | 0.31 | N/A |
| Largemouth Bass | Trap net | 0.12 | 0.2 - 0.7 | 0.10 | 0.2 - 0.9 |
| Gill net | 0.17 | 0.3 - 0.8 | 0.06 | 0.4 - 1.0 | |
| Muskellunge | Gill net | 0.17 | 0.2 - 1.0 | 10.39 | 1.9 - 4.0 |
| Northern Pike | Trap net | 1.00 | N/A | 2.14 | N/A |
| Gill net | 3.67 | 1.5 - 7.3 | 4.50 | 2.0 - 3.5 | |
| Pumpkinseed | Trap net | 0.75 | 0.7 - 4.2 | 0.08 | 0.1 - 0.2 |
| Gill net | 0.17 | N/A | 0.12 | N/A | |
| Walleye | Gill net | 0.50 | 1.2 - 6.3 | 3.13 | 1.2 - 2.7 |
| Yellow Bullhead | Trap net | 0.12 | 0.9 - 5.7 | 0.29 | 0.5 - 0.8 |
| Yellow Perch | Trap net | 0.12 | 0.3 - 1.7 | 0.14 | 0.1 - 0.2 |
| Gill net | 11.50 | 2.0 - 27.9 | 0.13 | 0.1 - 0.2 | |
| 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 | 8 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 |
| bluegill | 223 | 84 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 309 |
| common carp | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| golden shiner | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| green sunfish | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| hybrid sunfish | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| largemouth bass | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| muskellunge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| northern pike | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 30 |
| pumpkinseed | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| walleye | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| yellow bullhead | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| yellow perch | 15 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 |
| For the record, the largest Bluegill taken in Minnesota weighed 2 lbs., 13 oz. and was caught:
When: 1948 |
Fish Stocked by Species for the Last Ten Years
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Muskellunge | fingerlings | 370 | 69.1 |
| Muskellunge* | fingerlings | 30 | 4.5 | |
| Walleye | yearlings | 9,914 | 404.0 | |
| 2009 | Walleye | fingerlings | 2,838 | 129.0 |
| Walleye | fingerlings | 1,064 | 304.0 | |
| 2008 | Muskellunge | fingerlings | 30 | 6.3 |
| Muskellunge* | fingerlings | 300 | 66.7 | |
| Muskellunge* | fingerlings | 30 | 1.0 | |
| 2007 | Walleye | fingerlings | 5,153 | 257.7 |
| 2004 | Muskellunge* | fingerlings | 400 | 61.7 |
| 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. |
No fish consumption guidelines are available for this lake. For more information, see the "Fish Consumption Advice" pages at the Minnesota Department of Health.
Eagle Lake is a productive 291-acre lake located in Maple Grove. There is a DNR-owned public access on the northeast corner of the lake. Muskellunge and walleye are the primary species of management and the lake is secondarily managed for largemouth bass. The lake is stocked biennially with walleye and muskellunge on alternating years. In July 2011, a population assessment was conducted to determine the size structure and abundance of game fish in the lake.
Muskellunge are not effectively sampled with the gear used in the summer population assessments. However, one 35-inch muskellunge was captured. In the spring of 2008, an ice-out muskellunge population assessment was conducted with large trap nets. In this assessment, 40 adult muskellunge (11 females and 29 males) were collected. Female muskellunge averaged 46.0 inches and 23.5 pounds, with the largest individual captured measuring 49.8 inches. Male muskellunge averaged 39.1 inches and 13.6 pounds with the largest individual captured measuring 44.3 inches. Five year-classes were represented in the trapnet catch (1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2002) with age 14 fish being the oldest sampled. An estimated 163 adult muskellunge live in Eagle lake, which equates to 0.56 adult muskellunge per acre.
Historically, walleye abundance in Eagle Lake has been as high as 7.8 per gill net and averages 3.5 per net. However in the summer assessment of 2011, 3 walleye were sampled at a rate of 0.50 per net. This is the lowest recorded abundance of the previous nine assessments. Currently a study is being implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of different walleye stocking strategies in moderate sized (200-1000 acre; Class 23, 24, 25, and 31) Minnesota lakes. The three walleye sampled were 20.5, 20.6, and 22.7 inches and averaged 3.1 lbs. One was age-6, the other two were age-8.
Two largemouth bass were collected during the assessment; however, passive sampling gears, such as trap nets and gill nets, are not effective methods for collecting largemouth bass. The data presented for this species is not indicative of relative abundance or size structure. Electrofishing is the typical method for largemouth bass assessments but was not conducted during this survey. The two bass were 5.4 and 6.2 inches in length. A largemouth bass fishery is present in Eagle Lake, but the true status of the population can't be determined from this survey's small sample size.
Northern pike were found at median levels (3.7/gill net) and below the long term average of 7.1 per net. Pike averaged 27.1 inches and 4.5 lbs, with the largest measuring 32.9 inches and 5.9 lbs. Ninety-three percent were 14 inches or longer, 83% were 21 inches or longer, and 36% were 28 inches or longer. Overall, northern pike were in fair body condition. Ages ranged from 2 to 9, with the 2005 and 2006 year classes representing 53% of the population. Northern pike grew relatively fast compared to statewide averages. Pike were 18.5 inches by age 3, 24 inches by age 5, and 30 inches by age 7.
Black crappie abundance has varied over previous assessments ranging from 0.5 to 63.0/gill net and averaging 10.8/gill net. The same trend is true of trap net catch. Currently the population is near Lake Class median levels (5.83/gill net) compared to other similar lakes. For all fish sampled, black crappie averaged 7.1 inches and 0.17 lbs, with the largest measuring 8.8 inches and 0.34 lbs. Eighty-six percent were 5 inches or longer, and 32% were 8 inches or longer. Crappie were in fair body condition, with the smaller fish in better condition than the larger. Black crappie ranged in age from 1 through 6; however 59% were from the 2007 (age 4) year class. Growth was near average, where fish were 6.9 inches by age 3, and 8.1 inches by age 5.
Bluegill abundance is moderate (23.1 per trap net) and has remained relatively stable over the previous 4 assessments (mean = 33.9/trap net). In 2011, bluegill averaged 5.4 inches and 0.12 lbs. The largest measured was 7.4 inches and 0.26 lbs. Twenty-seven percent were 6 inches or longer. Bluegill were in fair body condition, with the smaller fish in better condition than the larger. Bluegill ranged in age from 1 through 6 with the majority (53%) age 4 (2007 year class). Thirty-eight percent were relatively equally divided among the 2006 and 2008 year classes. Bluegill growth was near the state average, with fish reaching 4.6 inches by age 3 and 6.6 inches by age 5.
Yellow perch abundance has been decreasing since 2004 (3 assessments since that time, mean = 35/gill net), but is still at a moderate level (11.5/gill net). Yellow perch size structure is small, averaging 6.6 inches and 0.13 lbs, with the largest measuring 8.0 inches and 0.20 lbs. Yellow perch were in fair body condition and condition did not vary by fish size. Four year classes of yellow perch were sampled. Age-4 perch were the most common (80%), followed by age 3 (14%), age 2 (4%), and age 7 (1%). Growth was near the statewide average except for the age-7 individual ,where growth was slow. Perch reached 5.7 inches by age 3 and 7.6 inches by age 7.
Other species sampled in low abundance were golden shiner, pumpkinseed, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, and yellow bullhead. It is important to note that due to the State government shutdown, the 2011 assessment was conducted two weeks later than most of the previous assessments of Eagle Lake. It is unknown whether this affected the net catch of any species.
An assessment of fish in the shallow, nearshore habitats was also conducted using backpack electrofishing and seining. Fourteen species were sampled. Fish species not present in gill nets and trap nets were Johnny darter, bluntnose minnow, central mudminnow, brook silverside, banded killifish, blacknose shiner, and golden shiner. The purpose of the nearshore sampling is to calculate an Index of Biotic Integrity score. An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is estimated based on all fish sampled in this assessment. The absence of sensitive species such as minnows and darters can contribute to a low IBI score. Eagle Lake contains several of these sensitive species; therefore, it scored 88.5 out of a maximum of 160, ranking it high compared to other lakes in the West Metro Area, but still indicating some impairment of water quality and habitat.
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For more information on this lake, contact:
Area Fisheries Supervisor | Lake maps can be obtained from: Minnesota Bookstore |
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 |  Turn in Poachers (TIP):Toll-free: (800) 652-9093 |
