Shamrock Lake

How big is Shamrock Lake?

How deep is Shamrock Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Shamrock Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Shamrock Lake?

Shamrock Lake is a 59-acre lake located 5 miles northwest of Taconite, MN. The lake is the middle lake in a chain of three connected lakes including O'Reilly and Island Lake. The lake is moderately developed and has clear water with a Secchi disk reading of 14 ft. Previous water chemistry sampling indicated low fertility which negatively affects growth rates and abundance of the fishery. Primary fish species include northern pike, largemouth bass and panfish.

The northern pike gill net catch rate was 5.0/net and was equal to the average catch rate for similar lakes. Catch rates in past assessments have varied from 2.0 to 7.0/net. Size structure was good for fish up to 26 inches; however no larger fish were sampled. Five year classes of northern pike were sampled and growth was similar to the statewide average with fish averaging 24 inches by age 6.

Largemouth bass were sampled by spring electrofishing and sampled 14 fish for a catch rate of 42.0/h, indicating a moderate population. This was the first assessment to sample largemouth bass by electrofishing. Three fish were sampled by gill nets or trap nets. Size structure was moderate with fish up to 14 inches sampled. Growth was slightly slower than the statewide average with fish averaging 14 inches by age 6. Growth and size structure were similar to previous assessments.

The bluegill catch rate was 3.7/trap net and was lower than the expected range for similar lakes. Catch rates have generally been low varying from 3.8 to 10.8/net in past assessments. Size structure was poor with no fish larger than 7 inches sampled. Growth was slower than the lake class average with fish only averaging 5.9 inches by age 8. Bluegill rarely live beyond age 10 and since growth in Shamrock Lake is slow it is unlikely that the lake can produce many bluegill larger than 8 inches.

Black crappie catch rates were low, with catch rates of 0.3 and 1.3/net for gill nets and trap nets. Catch rates in past assessments have varied from 0 to 5.7/gill net. Size structure was poor with no fish larger than 9 inches sampled. Growth was slow with fish only reaching 7.1 inches at age 5 compared to 9.5 inches for the statewide average.

Common prey species such as yellow perch and tullibee were not abundant in Shamrock Lake. No yellow perch were sampled in this assessment and they have only been sampled in gill nets once in six assessments. Tullibee catch rate was 2.3/gill net which was between the first quartile and median of 1.0 and 3.0/gill net. Tullibee catch rates in past assessments have been 4.0/ gill net or less in the last four assessments. Low abundance of prey species limits growth rates and abundance of predator species such as northern pike.

Other species sampled by gill nets and trap nets include pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, yellow bullhead and white sucker.

Lakeshore owners may affect fish populations not only through harvesting fish, but also through land use practices. It is important to leave a 30 to 50 ft buffer strip of native vegetation along the shoreline to prevent erosion and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. Nonfunctioning septic systems can also lead to water quality problems. Good water quality and fish populations are the direct result of good land use practices. Anglers can also help to improve the size structure of the fish community by harvesting fewer smaller fish and releasing medium and larger fish.

What is the average air temp for Shamrock Lake?

Are there any state parks near Shamrock Lake?