301 South Grove Avenue
Park Rapids, MN 56470
218-732-4153
[email protected]
Anglers who fish in Hubbard, Wadena and eastern Becker counties benefit from the management, habitat and oversight work of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Park Rapids area fisheries staff.
Area Fisheries Supervisor Doug Kingsley and a staff of four full-time and three part-time employees manage 108 fishing lakes and 220 miles of rivers and streams. These waters include popu
lar fishing destinations such as the Mantrap Chain of Lakes, the Crow Wing River and its chain of lakes and the Straight River a premier brown trout stream.
- What we do
At work for you
Park Rapids Area Fisheries staff tracking muskellunge implanted with radio transmitters to understand the extent of natural reproduction and identify natural spawning habitats in Big Mantrap Lake.
- Managing four trout lakes and 50 miles of trout streams and stocking about 17,000 rainbow and brook trout of catchable size each year.
- Operating a walleye and muskellunge hatchery and associated rearing ponds, which produce approximately 23 million walleye fry, 3,000 pounds of walleye fingerlings and 4,000 muskellunge fingerlings each year for stocking into regional lakes.
- Conducting fisheries surveys or special sampling on about 25 lakes and 4 to 8 streams per year to assess population status and response to management activities, including special regulations and stocking.
- Maintaining or improving aquatic habitat on about 40 miles of 4 trout streams, proposing acquisition projects as opportunities arise and maintaining acquired properties to protect critical aquatic habitat and provide access to recreational users.
- Providing technical assistance to local units of government and other agencies working to protect, restore or improve the health of watersheds and their lakes, rivers and streams.
- Providing presentations and aquatic education activities for lake associations, various clubs or organizations, public input meetings, schools and special events.
- Area highlights
Stocking and Lake Surveys
- Winterkill observations
- Lake survey and sampling schedule
- Stocking - Check the LakeFinder
- Surveys - Check the LakeFinder
Trout Stream Maps
Useful Links
- Aquatic Plant Management
- Fishing Tournament Information
- Fish Diseases
- Invasives
- Lake Finder
- Fishing Regulations
- Licenses
- Trout Streams
- Area staff
Contact our Park Rapids staff
Name
Position
Phone
Email
Doug Kingsley Area supervisor 218-732-4153 [email protected] Calub Shavlik Assistant area supervisor 218-732-4153 [email protected] Scott Muhm Fisheries specialist 218-732-4153 [email protected] Mike Kelly Fisheries specialist 218-732-4153 [email protected] Kyle Little Fisheries technician 218-732-4153 [email protected]