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Frequently Asked Questions About Placid Lake, MN
- How big is Placid Lake?
- How deep is Placid Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Placid Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Placid Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Placid Lake area?
- Are there topographical lake maps available Placid Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Placid Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Placid Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Placid Lake?
How big is Placid Lake?
How deep is Placid Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Placid Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Common Shiner, Golden Redhorse, Golden Shiner, Greater Redhorse, Hybrid Sunfish, Johnny Darter, Logperch, Shorthead Redhorse, Silver Redhorse, Tadpole Madtom and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Placid Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Placid Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there topographical lake maps available Placid Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Placid Lake?
Explore the Placid Lake area in a RV
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1996 Fleetwood by Tioga 29' 4 Position bike rack included! Dogs allowed!
Baxter, MN
History & Status of the Fishery
Placid Lake or Pillager Reservoir is formed by the Pillager Power Dam on the Crow Wing River near the town of Pillager. Fast drop-offs along shore, sunken bars and vegetation beds, as well as islands provide structure in the lake. Anglers have the choice of fishing in the reservoir or traveling up the Crow Wing River. Water turbidity can be affected by flows from the Crow Wing River and several minor tributaries.
Sampling in the lake has proven to be a challenge with the steep near shore drop-offs, suspended debris in the water column, and current. This assessment was conducted with shoreline trap nets and daytime electrofishing as suspended debris and current makes gill netting difficult.
The species diversity of the fish community is a reflection of a riverine system. Non-game species such as Silver Redhorse, Common Carp, Greater Redhorse, Shorthead Redhorse, and White Sucker account for much of the biomass in the lake. Gamefish species found in the lake include Northern Pike, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. The Walleye population has been sustained at low levels by natural reproduction since the mid-90s when stocking was discontinued. Status of Northern Pike was not evaluated well with gear types used in this assessment. Results from early summer electrofishing in 2014 suggest that Placid Lake supports a modest population of Smallmouth Bass. Most of the bass observed in the sampling were more than 14 inches in length with one 19-inch Smallmouth Bass measured. Bluegill provide an important fishery on the lake and the survey did show the presence of "keeper" size fish over seven inches in length. Black Crappie do not appear to be overly abundant but anglers have a chance to find some nice fish over 11 inches. Other panfish species in the lake include Pumpkinseed, hybrid sunfish, and Rock Bass. Two species of bullhead, Brown and Yellow, were sampled in the lake. Brown Bullhead was the more numerous and larger of the two species. The largest Yellow Bullhead was around 10 inches while the largest Brown Bullhead was almost 14 inches.
The connection to Crow Wing River and numerous inlets allows for the movement of fish in and out of the reservoir. Proper timing and duration of drawdowns from dam operations as well as good land use practices around the inlets can minimize impacts to the reservoir.
What is the average air temp for Placid Lake?
Are there any state parks near Placid Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Placid Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Stanchfield Lake | 3.2 mi | 116 | 32 ft |
| Round Lake | 4.3 mi | 99 | 18 ft |
| Round Lake | 4.3 mi | 99 | 18 ft |
| Pillager Lake | 4.4 mi | 205 | 39 ft |
| Shamineau Lake | 5.7 mi | 1,434 | 52 ft |
| Sylvan Lake | 6.0 mi | 321 | 31 ft |
| Crookneck Lake | 6.5 mi | 183 | 22 ft |
| Sylvan Lake | 6.5 mi | 894 | 57 ft |
| Beauty Lake | 6.8 mi | 17 | 39 ft |
| Lake Alexander | 7.1 mi | 2,709 | 64 ft |
