Eighteen Lake

How big is Eighteen Lake?

How deep is Eighteen Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Eighteen Lake?

Are there boat launches on Eighteen Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Eighteen Lake?

Eighteen Lake is located 1.5 miles north of Isabella Minnesota. The lake has an area of 102 acres and a maximum depth of 12 feet. The lake has a United States Forest Service (USFS) maintained parking area suitable for five to six vehicles and a short carry-down access. There is also a USFS campground at the access with three campsites and an outhouse. A hiking trail circles the lake and provides some shore fishing opportunities. The entire lake shore is in federal ownership and open to public use.

The water is moderately clear with a green hue. One inlet enters the southeast corner of the lake, it originates from a small bog nearby. There are no known outlets. The lake bottom near shore is composed of a mixture of hard and soft substrates. A total of 24 types of aquatic and riparian plant were observed growing to a depth of 11 feet.

Walleye is the primary managed species in Eighteen Lake and fingerlings are stocked every other year. The Walleye catch rate was above average when compared to similar lakes in the area. The average length of Walleye sampled was roughly 15 inches with the largest fish sampled having a total length of just less than 25 inches. The average weight of Walleye sampled in gillnets was 1.2 pounds, a little below average when compared to similar lakes. Based on age estimates, there were 11 year classes present in our samples with the oldest fish being estimated at age-14. The fish were well distributed across year classes with the 2007 year class being the largest, but making up only 27 percent of our sample. Walleye growth in Eighteen Lake was slow relative to other area lakes.

Yellow Perch is the secondary managed species in Eighteen Lake and is managed primarily to provide a forage base for the Walleye. The Yellow Perch catch rate was below average when compared to similar lakes in the area. Average length of Yellow Perch was 6.2 inches with fish up to 7.3 inches long sampled. The average weight of Yellow Perch was 0.1 pounds, below average relative to similar lakes. Based on age estimates there were only four year classes present in the sample with no fish sampled over age-3 and with the 2014 year class making up 69 percent of the sample. Yellow Perch growth was fast relative to other area lakes.

Eighteen Lake is a good Walleye lake from a numbers point of view that offers seclusion and a quiet setting with some amenities. There are good numbers of eater size Walleye in the lake and it is a small enough lake to be easily fishable from a canoe or small boat. Yellow Perch abundance is relatively low and the average length is small.

What is the average air temp for Eighteen Lake?

Are there any state parks near Eighteen Lake?