Round Lake

How big is Round Lake?

How deep is Round Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Round Lake?

What are the closest cities to Round Lake?

Are there boat launches on Round Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Round Lake?

What aquatic invasive species are found in Round Lake?

Round Lake is located about two miles north of Garrison. There is a public access along the southwest shoreline. The lake supports diverse recreational opportunities due to its clear water, abundant sandy beaches, and moderate size. The fish community is relatively unique for the Aitkin area and provides angling opportunities for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, and black crappie. In addition to our standard fish population assessment methods, nearshore sampling using seining and backpack electrofishing was also conducted to estimate the index of biotic integrity (IBI), a fish based measure of overall lake health. The preliminary analysis indicated the IBI to be pretty good and to have changed very little since last conducted in 2008.

Bass anglers have the possibility of catching quality largemouth and smallmouth bass, although smallmouth continue to be more abundant and generally reach larger size. Largemouth bass size averaged 11.5" and about 1 pound, while smallmouth bass averaged 14.8" and 2.2 pounds with fish sampled over 19".

Walleye have been stocked as fingerlings at low densities regularly since 1989, a strategy which had produced exceptional results in the past. The 2013 catch was the lowest since walleye stocking began, due mainly to an apparent failure of the 2010 stocked year class. Anglers likely continued to exploit the 2007 year class since no other fish recruited to harvestable size, resulting in the current low population level. The regularly scheduled fingerling stocking occurred in 2013, as well as an additional surplus walleye stocking, which will help to improve walleye fishing opportunities in the near future.

Anglers tend to target black crappie on Round Lake when an abundant year class grows into a harvestable size range. Strong 2010 and 2011 year classes should provide good opportunities into the future. These fish averaged 9.5" and 7.4", respectively, during the summer of 2013.

Northern pike provide another large predator for anglers to chase. Pike were captured in high numbers compared to similar lakes and previous surveys of this lake. Size was fair and averaged 21.0" and about 2 pounds, with fish up to 32.8" sampled.

The lake also supports a population of tullibee (northern cisco), which are an important forage species for northern pike and walleye, and a species that requires adequate coldwater habitat to survive. Temperature and oxygen monitoring conducted from 2007 to 2013 indicate a substantial amount of coldwater habitat is available to tullibee in most years. The lake will continue to be monitored for any changes to thermal habitat that could impact the fish community.

Maintaining the good bulrush beds is important for both fish and wildlife resources. In addition, coarse woody habitat such as fallen trees and branches offer additional habitat that should be left in place for the benefit of many fish species in Round Lake. While it can be inconvenient when a tree falls into one's dock or swimming area, consider moving it to an area along your shoreline that is clear of your activity, rather than removing it from the lake. Benefits of good habitat stewardship are often rewarded with good fishing.

What is the average air temp for Round Lake?

Are there any state parks near Round Lake?