Stingy Lake

How big is Stingy Lake?

How deep is Stingy Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Stingy Lake?

Are there boat launches on Stingy Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Stingy Lake?

Stingy Lake is located in northeast Itasca County about 18 miles north of Nashwauk, MN in the Mississippi River watershed. The lake has a surface area of 378 acres and a maximum depth of 25 feet. Stingy Lake is in ecological lake class 29. Other area lakes in this class include Beauty, Five Island and Wilson Lakes.

The current lake management plan lists Walleye and Black Crappie as the primary species of management. Past management included Walleye fry stocking in odd-numbered years; however, the 2011 and 2013 stockings were not accomplished as originally scheduled. The 2014 population assessment evaluated Walleye natural reproduction during a period of several consecutive non-stocked years.

The 2014 Walleye gill-net catch was near the lake class median at 1.7/net, but down from the previous three surveys. Historical catches have ranged from 0.3 to 7.0/net. Sampled Walleye varied from 11.2 to 21.9 inches with a mean length of 15.8 inches. Ages 2, 4, 5 and 7 were identified in the sample, with 50% of the sample attributed to non-stocked years. Walleye growth was considered average with fish reaching 16 inches in 4 years. Some natural reproduction of Walleye is evident in Stingy Lake, but it appears supplemental fry stocking is needed to achieve management goals.

The Black Crappie gill-net catch was 1.4/net, compared to the lake class interquartile range of 1.0 to 4.8/net. Black Crappie size structure was poor, with fish ranging from 4.9 to 8.9 inches and having a mean length of 6.7 inches. Ages 2-5 were represented, but age 2 fish (less than 6 inches long) made up approximately half of the sample. Growth was similar to the lake class average with crappie exceeding 8 inches at age 4.

Northern Pike gill-net catches in Stingy Lake have typically been below the normal range for this lake class. The 2014 assessment was no exception with a catch rate of 4.4/net. Size structure was modest; sampled pike ranged from 18.7 to 36.4 inches with a mean length of 22.3 inches. Ages 2-6, and 10 were identified; with age 3 fish making up nearly half the sample. Growth of pike was slightly above average with fish exceeding 23 inches at age 4.

The Yellow Perch gill-net catch was below the lake class first quartile at 0.8/net. Yellow Perch net catches have been low in all previous surveys. Sampled perch ranged from 5.9 to 8.4 inches with a mean length of 7.0 inches. Yellow perch are an important prey species for predator fish like Walleye and Northern Pike.

The trap-net catch rate for Bluegill was near the lake class first quartile at 8.2/net. Catches in the two previous assessments were substantially higher, but those surveys occurred slightly later in the summer. The 2014 assessment was seasonally the earliest ever conducted on Stingy Lake, so the catch rate may not be comparable to other surveys. During the June 2014 assessment, water temperatures were in the 60's and it appeared the Bluegill had not yet started to spawn. Size structure of Bluegill was relatively poor. Sampled Bluegill ranged from 2.6 to 8.7 inches with a mean length of 4.9 inches. Ages 2-8 were represented, with a high proportion of younger fish. Age 3-4 fish made up 58% of the sample. Growth was faster than the lake class average with Bluegill exceeding 6 inches at age 5.

Other species sampled in this assessment included Black Bullhead, Golden Shiner, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Rock Bass, White Sucker and Yellow Bullhead.

What is the average air temp for Stingy Lake?

Are there any state parks near Stingy Lake?