Park Lake

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Park Lake is a 376 acre lake located near Mahtowa, Minnesota with 100% littoral area and a maximum depth of 16 feet. Park Lake is accessible on the southeastern corner of the lake off county road 7. Park Lake is primarily managed for walleye and largemouth bass. More than 54,000 walleye fingerlings and 1,000 yearlings were stocked between 1990 and 2012. Park was last assessed in 2004. Park was assessed in 2012 to help evaluate the walleye fingerling stocking program as well as update information on other fish populations.

Walleye fingerlings are stocked into Park Lake at a rate of one pound per littoral acre (376 pounds) during even years. Walleye abundance of 0.8 per gillnet lift was down from 2004 (1.1) and below average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Walleye gillnet CPUE from six investigations since 1979 have ranged from 0.2 to 1.6 per lift. Not enough individuals were sampled to evaluate stock density or growth. All of the walleye sampled (7) were aged to years that walleye were stocked. Despite stocking numerous year-classes since 1990, the success of the biennial fingerling stocking program appears limited.

A total of 47 largemouth bass were sampled by electrofishing. The largemouth bass catch rate of 86.2 fish per hour of electrofishing was up from 2004 (19.6). Largemouth bass average length was 12.9 inches and growth was slow compared to other Duluth Area lakes. All year-classes from 2001 through 2010 were represented except 2008.

Northern pike abundance of 12.7 per gillnet lift was down from 2004 (13.2) and above average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Average size was 18.9 inches and growth was slow compared to other Duluth Area lakes. All year-classes from 2003 to 2011 were represented, except 2004.

Bluegill abundance of 9.2 per trapnet lift was down slightly from 2004 (9.4) and was average when compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Average length of sampled bluegills was 6.8 inches and growth was slow compared to other Duluth Area lakes. All year-classes from 2003 to 2011 were represented, except 2008.

Black crappie abundance of 1.0 per lift was up slightly from 2004 (0.9) and was average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Average size was 6.5 inches but not enough individuals were captured to evaluate stock density or growth. All year-classes from 2003 to 2011 were represented, except 2006 and 2008.

Yellow perch abundance of 29.2 per gillnet lift was down from 2006 (120.2) and above average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Average length was 6.1 inches and growth was average compared other Duluth Area lakes. All year-classes from 2002 through 2008 were represented.

Other fish species sampled include black, brown and yellow bullhead, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, central mudminnow, bluntnose minnow, fathead minnow, rock bass, white sucker, hybrid sunfish and pumpkinseed sunfish.

Park Lake was included in an index of biotic integrity (IBI) assessment in 2012. In addition to standard gillnets and trapnets, beach seines and backpack electrofishing equipment were used to index species richness of the nearshore lake habitat.

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