Bass Lake

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Bass Lake

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What aquatic invasive species are found in Bass Lake?

Bass Lake is a 203 acre lake located in Faribault County northwest of the city of Delavan. A public access is located on the northeast side of the lake, just off 400th Avenue. Bass Lake is a small basin with a maximum depth of 20 feet.

Bass Lake was surveyed the week of June 3, 2013 as part of a regular monitoring program conducted by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This survey consisted of deploying trap nets, gill nets, and electrofishing to monitor the fish community. Although black bullhead was the most abundant fish species in the survey, total numbers were at moderate levels. Trap and gill net catches averaged 4 and 9 fish per net, respectively. Black bullheads from Bass Lake were large, averaging over 13 inches in length and over 1.25 pounds.

Overall panfish (black crappie, bluegill, and yellow perch) abundances have recently been lower than historic levels. Black crappie abundance was low at the time of the 2013 survey. Only 1 fish was sampled between both net types and was over 11 inches in length. Bluegill abundance was also low, with only 2 fish collected throughout the survey. Yellow perch, which historically have had high abundance in Bass Lake, were non-existent in the 2013 survey.

The behavioral and physical characteristics of largemouth bass make them difficult to capture in nets. Thus, electrofishing was the most effective method to assess the largemouth bass population. While the nets in this survey didn't catch any largemouth bass, electrofishing sampled 41 fish per hour. No stocking plan exists for largemouth bass, so the Bass Lake population is maintained by natural reproduction. Largemouth bass sampled in 2013 ranged from 3 to 9 years old and averaged over 16 inches in length (2.5 lbs), making Bass Lake one of the highest quality largemouth bass populations in the area.

Northern pike fry are stocked annually in Bass Lake, which apparently maintains the population successfully. In 2013, gill nets produced an average of 5 northern pike per net lift. These fish averaged almost 22 inches in length and weighed over 2 pounds per fish. Most northern pike were from the 2011 year class, when 26,700 fry were stocked.

Walleye abundance remained high in Bass Lake. The 2013 survey yielded nearly 5 fish per gill net, which is above average for similar lakes in the area. Walleye lengths ranged from 10 to 25 inches with an average over 18 inches. Most of the walleye sampled from this survey were from the 2012 year class, when 218,000 fry were stocked. A walleye maintenance stocking program has been in place at Bass Lake to sustain the population. Walleye fry are stocked every other year.

Other fish collected in this survey in low numbers included common carp, yellow bullhead, and channel catfish.

Anglers can play an important role in maintaining or improving a fish population by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest allows for the harvest of smaller fish for consumption, while encouraging the release of medium to large fish that may contribute to natural recruitment. This practice helps maintain balance in the fish community and provides anglers the opportunity to catch more and larger fish in the future. Additionally, smaller fish often taste better and have fewer contaminants than larger, older fish from the same water body.

Shoreline property owners also play an important role in the overall health of an aquatic ecosystem, including the fish population. Natural shorelines, including vegetation, woody debris, and bottom substrates, provide valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, help maintain water quality, and reduce bank erosion. By leaving natural shorelines unaltered or restoring them to natural conditions, shoreline property owners can contribute to maintain or improve a healthy ecosystem in the lake and protect the resource for future generations.

-Prepared by: Kip Rounds, Fisheries Specialist

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