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Frequently Asked Questions About Pickerel Lake, MN
- How big is Pickerel Lake?
- How deep is Pickerel Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Pickerel Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Pickerel Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Pickerel Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Pickerel Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Pickerel Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Pickerel Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Pickerel Lake?
How big is Pickerel Lake?
How deep is Pickerel Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Pickerel Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Bluntnose Minnow, Brook Stickleback, Central Mudminnow, Hybrid Sunfish, Iowa Darter, Johnny Darter and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Pickerel Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Pickerel Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Pickerel Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Pickerel Lake?
Explore the Pickerel Lake area in a RV
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Hit the road with Vincent VanGo AKA "Vinnie" - 2023 Coachmen Nova 20D Li3
Laporte, MN
History & Status of the Fishery
Pickerel Lake is located 10 miles north of Park Rapids in Hubbard County. Pickerel Lake is a relatively shallow lake with a surface area of 310 acres and a maximum depth of 26.0 feet. There is a state-owned public access located on the south shore of the east basin. Pickerel provides angling opportunities for Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Pickerel is in lake class 35. Class 35 lakes are characterized by having a large littoral area (water depth less than 15 feet) and having an irregular shaped shoreline. Other class 35 lakes in the Park Rapids area include: Middle Crooked, Crystal, Frontenac, and Waboose.
Pickerel Lake supports abundant panfish populations and can provide good fishing for Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed. While abundance of panfish is good, anglers will find the size of fish somewhat on the small size. Anglers will find Bluegill and Pumpkinseed in the 6 inch size range and Black Crappie in the 8-9 inch size range.
Pickerel Lake supports a healthy Largemouth Bass population. Largemouth Bass were sampled in moderate numbers during spring electrofishing, compared to other area lakes. The proportion of Largemouth Bass sampled over 15.0 inches in length was high compared to other area lakes. Largemouth Bass up to 18.9 inches were sampled. Good water quality, aquatic vegetation cover, and spawning substrate provide excellent habitat for Largemouth Bass in Pickerel.
Present and past surveys have shown Pickerel Lake to have a moderate to abundant Northern Pike population composed of small to medium sized fish. Sampled Northern Pike had an average length and weight of 18.4 inches and 1.4 pounds, with pike measured up to 28.4 inches. The number of larger Northern Pike (>28.0 inches) sampled has been low.
Other species sampled included Yellow and Brown Bullhead, Walleye, and Rock Bass.
Currently, no Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) have been identified in Pickerel Lake. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boats before leaving the access.
What is the average air temp for Pickerel Lake?
Are there any state parks near Pickerel Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Pickerel Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Blue Lake | 1.5 mi | 336 | 84 ft |
| Rice Lake | 1.8 mi | 167 | 18 ft |
| Stocking Lake | 2.1 mi | 102 | 25 ft |
| Lower Bottle Lake | 2.3 mi | 641 | 110 ft |
| Lake Emma | 2.7 mi | 78 | 50 ft |
| Big Sand Lake | 3.0 mi | 1,635 | 135 ft |
| Upper Bottle Lake | 3.2 mi | 459 | 55 ft |
| Skunk Lake | 3.4 mi | 218 | 55 ft |
| Dead Horse Lake | 3.6 mi | 39 | 9 ft |
| Bad Axe Lake | 3.7 mi | 303 | 39 ft |
