Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake

How big is Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

How deep is Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

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Are there boat launches on Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

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What are the fishing regulations for Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

There are specific fishing regulations Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake that you need to know. For complete fishing regulations visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. To report a violation call (800) 652-9093. Need a Minnesota fishing license?

What aquatic invasive species are found in Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake is located 15 miles northwest of Deer River, MN in the Mississippi River watershed. The lake has a surface area of 660 acres and a maximum depth of 20 feet. Little Cut Foot Sioux is a fairly productive lake that occasionally experiences winterkill. The lake is within the Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. The US Forest Service maintains a boat access on the southwest corner of the lake. Access is also available by boat through a channel from Cut Foot Sioux Lake. Little Cut Foot Sioux is in ecological lake class 35, which represents moderate size lakes with a high percentage of littoral area and moderate water clarity and hardness. Other area lakes in this class include Blandin Reservoir and Prairie Lake. The lake management plan lists bluegill and walleye as primary management species.

Little Cut Foot Sioux is connected to Cut Foot Sioux and Winnibigoshish Lakes and experiences a large migration of walleye during spring. The Minnesota DNR operates a walleye egg-taking operation on Little Cut Foot Sioux each spring, with a percentage of the collected walleye eggs returned to the lake as fry. Walleye gill-net CPE in June assessments has been variable, and is likely affected by early summer weather patterns that influence the migration of walleye back out to Cut Foot Sioux and Winnibigoshish. The 2012 walleye gill-net catch was 2.3/net, similar to the lake class average and management plan goal of 2.1/net. Walleye size structure was modest; sampled fish ranged from 10.7 to 27.8 inches with a mean length 15.3 inches. Ages 2-7, 10 and 12 were identified from scale samples. Growth was similar to the statewide average with fish reaching 15.3 inches at age 4.

The trap-net catch rate for bluegill was within the expected range at 8.4/net. This is an increase from the previous assessment, but near the lake class average and management plan goal of 9.2/net. Bluegill size structure was good with fish over 9 inches in the sample. Sampled bluegill ranged from 5.1 to 9.9 inches with a mean length of 8.0 inches. A special trap-net assessment targeting bluegill was conducted earlier in the spring and reported a similar size distribution.

Northern pike were sampled within the expected range at 5.3/net. Catch rates in previous assessments have varied from 1.6 to 14.6/net. Size structure was poor in the 2012 sample; fish ranged from 12.4 to 34.6 inches with a mean length of 19.2 inches.

The yellow perch gill-net catch was within the expected range at 15.8/net. Catch rates in previous assessments have varied from 6.5 to 65.2/net. Size structure was moderate in 2012. Sampled perch ranged from 5.2 to 10.7 inches with a mean length 7.5 inches. Analysis of scale samples indicated consistent recruitment with ages 2-8 represented in the sample. Growth was similar to the statewide average with perch reaching 7.9 inches at age 4.

Black crappie were sampled within the expected range at 7.2/gill net and 0.8/trap net. The sample was predominately made up of smaller sized fish. Gill-net sampled crappie ranged from 4.1 to 11.6 inches, with a mean length of 6.4 inches. Black crappie from trap nets ranged from 5.3 to 7.8 inches with a mean length of 6.3 inches.

Gill-net catch rates for tullibee have been variable, but have been above the lake class third quartile (3.0/gill net) in past assessments. In 2012, the tullibee gill-net catch declined to 0.5/net. Sampled tullibee ranged from 13.8 to 15.9 inches. Tullibee are an important prey source for larger northern pike and walleye. The long-term but variable abundance of tullibee in Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake, relative to other class 35 lakes, is mainly due to the connection to Cut Foot Sioux and Winnibigoshish Lakes.

Brown bullheads were sampled above the expected range at 8.1/gill net. Bullheads have made up a considerable portion of the fish community at various times in the past. Brown bullheads sampled in 2012 ranged from 10.0 to 14.6 inches with a mean length of 13.1 inches, large enough to be of interest to anglers.

Other species sampled in the latest assessment included: black and yellow bullhead, bowfin, hybrid sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass and white sucker.

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Are there any state parks near Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake?