Moonshine Lake

How big is Moonshine Lake?

How deep is Moonshine Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Moonshine Lake?

Are there boat launches on Moonshine Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Moonshine Lake?

Moonshine is a 25 acre lake in the Mississippi River drainage located within the Chippewa National Forest near Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The surrounding land is owned and administered by the US Forest Service. Moonshine Lake is located in the Trout Lake Semi-primitive Non-motorized Area. All interior lakes, except Trout and Spider Lakes, and all roads, except Forest Road #3494 into Moonshine, are closed to motorized traffic, but foot travel is welcome. A carry-in boat access and two walk-in shore fishing sites, administered by the U.S. Forest Service, are located on the east shore from the parking lot at the end of Forest road #3494. Existing habitat is protected through Federal ownership and the non-motorized designation.

The lake is a designated stream trout lake and has been managed for trout by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources since 1961. The trout population has been maintained in recent years by annual stocking of the Kamloop strain of fingerling rainbow trout in the fall, although the most recent stocking occurred in the spring of 2012 and consisted of Kamloop yearlings.

A population assessment was conducted on Moonshine Lake in 2012 to assess the status of the rainbow trout population and determine the relative survival of stocked yearlings. Dissolved oxygen testing was conducted in late July, while the lake was stratified. Test netting was conducted in October. The assessment consisted of 10 half inch mesh trap nets set twice each for a total of 20 sets. Gill nets were not used as a sufficient sample size was achieved with the trap nets. Two minnow traps were set to determine if other species were present.

Past sampling indicated that suitable conditions for trout becomes limited to the upper warm layer during mid and late summer, as dissolved oxygen levels drop rapidly at the top of the thermocline or at about a depth of 9 to10 feet. Rainbow trout are exposed to water temperatures in the low 70 degrees F, near the upper limit of their tolerance to access sufficient oxygen levels. Dissolved oxygen testing in late July of 2012 resulted in an abnormal profile with oxygen below 2.0 ppm at a depth of ten feet (57.2 deg F), but oxygen then recovered to 4.7 ppm at 20 feet (43.3 deg F). This phenomenon was noted on other area lakes in 2012.

Trap netting yielded a total of 161 rainbow trout for a catch rate of 8.1/trap net. The catch was similar to the previous assessment, when 20 trap net sets yielded 166 trout for a catch of 8.3/ trap net. Captured trout ranged from 6.7 to 17.9 inches with a mean length of 10.0 inches. Most captured trout (n=155) were likely a result of the 2012 spring stocking of yearling Kamploops. These fish were stocked as relatively small yearlings (approximately 6/pound and 7.5 inches in length). Fish from this stocking grew 2.2 inches on average over the summer to average 9.7 inches at the time of capture in October. Six trout exceeded 14.8 inches and were likely from a 2010 fall stocking of fingerlings.
Other species captured include fathead minnows, finescale dace, and brook stickleback.

Moonshine Lake continues to provide unique opportunities to catch rainbow trout in the Grand Rapids area. Poor size structure may limit the popularity of the fishery, however, as only 4% of the catch exceeded 13 inches and no trophy trout were captured. Rainbow trout rarely survive beyond three years in Moonshine Lake, most likely because of angler mortality due to the susceptibility to harvest.

Anglers can help improve the quality of the trout fishery by voluntarily reducing harvest and releasing large trout. Anglers are reminded that the use of live minnows is prohibited in designated trout lakes. Introduction of non-trout species is detrimental to successful trout management in lakes.

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