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| Nearest Town: 9 mi. N of Ely Primary County: St. Louis |
Survey Date: 07/08/1997 Inventory Number: 69-0079-00 |
| Ownership | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| US Forest Service | Carry-in | Canoe access on SE corner of lake. No parking right by access. Parking by Mudro access point or back up the road. |
| US Forest Service | Carry-in | 3/4 mile portage from Nels Lake. |
| US Forest Service | Carry-in | 165 yard (+ or - depending on water level) portage from Mudro Lake. |
|
Lake Area (acres): 66.00 |
Dominant Bottom Substrate: N/A |
| Did you know? Habitat acquisition of lands next to lakes and streams protects spawning areas and shoreline vegetation, and it increases access to fishing waters. |
| Species | Number of fish per net | Average Fish Weight (lbs) |
Normal Range (lbs) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caught | |||||
| Bluegill | Trap net | 1.6 | 0.6 - 6.5 | 0.30 | 0.1 - 0.7 |
| Northern Pike | Gill net | 2.3 | 3.0 - 9.0 | 1.55 | 1.2 - 2.5 |
| Trap net | 1.4 | N/A - N/A | 1.35 | N/A - N/A | |
| Painted Turtle | Trap net | 1.5 | N/A - N/A | ND | N/A - N/A |
| Rock Bass | Trap net | 0.3 | 0.4 - 1.2 | ND | 0.1 - 0.4 |
| Shorthead Redhorse | Gill net | 0.3 | 0.9 - 9.5 | ND | 0.6 - 2.2 |
| Trap net | 1.1 | N/A - N/A | ND | N/A - N/A | |
| Smallmouth Bass | Trap net | 0.1 | N/A - N/A | 1.32 | N/A - N/A |
| Snapping Turtle | Trap net | 0.1 | N/A - N/A | ND | N/A - N/A |
| Walleye | Gill net | 4.7 | 2.3 - 9.6 | 0.58 | 0.7 - 1.8 |
| Trap net | 0.3 | 0.4 - 1.8 | 0.49 | 1.0 - 2.3 | |
| White Sucker | Gill net | 8.3 | 5.3 - 22.1 | ND | 1.3 - 2.3 |
| Trap net | 2.0 | 0.9 - 4.5 | ND | 1.5 - 2.3 | |
| Yellow Perch | Gill net | 5.3 | 3.3 - 18.3 | 0.14 | 0.1 - 0.3 |
| Trap net | 1.1 | 0.5 - 3.8 | 0.16 | 0.1 - 0.3 | |
| 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 | |
| Bluegill | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Northern Pike | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| Rock Bass | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Smallmouth Bass | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Walleye | 0 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Yellow Perch | 7 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| For the record, the largest Flathead Catfish taken in Minnesota weighed 70 lbs. and was caught:
When: 1970 |
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 | |||
| PICKET St. Louis Co., 69007900 |
Bluegill Sunfish | All sizes | Mercury | |||
| Northern Pike | All sizes | Mercury | ||||
| Walleye | All sizes | 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 | |||
| PICKET St. Louis Co., 69007900 |
Bluegill Sunfish | All sizes | Mercury | |||
| Northern Pike | All sizes | Mercury | ||||
| Walleye | All sizes | Mercury | ||||
| White Sucker | All sizes | Mercury | ||||
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
Picket Lake is in Ecological Lake Class 17, which consists of 99 lakes in northeast Minnesota that are small, shallow, are bowl-shaped, and have very soft (unmineralized) water. Picket Lake is typical of lakes in this lake class except that it has a more irregular shoreline shape.
Picket Lake does not stratify thermally in midsummer, and retains good oxygen to the bottom. The inlet, from Nels Lake, flows through a bog and has a rocky watercourse which may limit fish movement. The outlet to Mudro Lake has no barriers to fish movement. Bottom substrates in Picket Lake are dominated by boulder. Pondweeds, watershield, bulrush, and burreed are the most common aquatic plants, which grow to a depth of 6 ft. Six biological surveys and fish assessments have been conducted on Picket Lake, dating back to 1975.
The total catch of fish (all species combined) in the gillnets in 1997 of 21.0 fish/net (22.3 lb/net) was in the normal range for this lake class and was very close to the long term average catch of 20.9 fish/net (19.6 lb/net) in all gillnet assessments on this lake. Lake class 17 is one of the more productive, in terms of fish numbers and biomass, in northeast Minnesota. Fish populations in 1997 were dominated by white sucker and walleye.
White sucker numbers in 1997 (8.3/gillnet) were normal for this lake class and were near the long term average catch of 7.1/gillnet in this lake. Lakes in Lake Class 17 have very high sucker numbers.
Walleye numbers in 1997 (4.7/gillnet) were average for this lake class, and were higher than the long term average catch of 2.8/gillnet in this lake. Although the walleye in the 1997 gillnet catch averaged only 10", the largest was 23". Most walleye in 1997 were ages 1-3. Walleye growth (10" at age three, 15" at age six) was slower than normal for the area.
Northern pike numbers in 1997 (2.3/gillnet) were lower than normal for this lake class, and were similar to the long term average catch of 2.4/gillnet in this lake. Pike sizes were small, averaging only 18"; the largest (caught in a trapnet) was 29". Pike growth (17" at age four) was slower than normal.
Yellow perch numbers in 1997 (5.3/gillnet) were normal for this lake class, and were near the long term average catch of 7.7/gillnet in this lake. Perch sizes averaged 6"; the largest was 9". Perch growth (5" at age three) was normal.
Low numbers of bluegill sunfish, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, and smallmouth bass were also captured in the 1997 assessment. These species were also present in low numbers in most previous assessments. Some large (9") bluegill were present in 1997. Fish examined in 1997 had very few parasites or diseases.
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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 |
© 2010
MN Department of Natural Resources
