Little Mud Lake

How big is Little Mud Lake?

How deep is Little Mud Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Little Mud Lake?

What are the closest cities to Little Mud Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Little Mud Lake?

Little Mud Lake, located in Pine County near the town of Rutledge, has a surface area of 17 acres and is assigned to lake class 37. The lake is managed primarily for northern pike with largemouth bass, bluegill sunfish, and black crappie as the secondary species. Public access can be gained via a navigable channel from Long Lake. The lakeshore has some development with 5 dwellings. Water clarity is limited with a secchi disk reading of 2 feet. The shore and shallow water substrate is predominately detritus.

A standard lake survey was conducted during the week of July 28, 2008 to evaluate the current status of the fish population relative to the lake management plan and historic data. As in the previous investigation, oxygen levels were depleted in depths greater than four feet. Gill nets were placed in depths of eight feet and greater to ensure boater safety. Therefore, the current gill net catch data may not be an accurate measure of fish abundance.

Black crappie abundance and mean weight were within the normal range for the lake class. Both the trap net catch rate, 5.9 per lift, and crappie size increased compared to the 1998 data. Black crappie lengths ranged from 5.6 to 10.5 inches with 7.8 inch average. One third of the crappie catch exceeded 8 inches.

Bluegill numbers and the average weight were also at normal levels compared to similar lakes. Total lengths extended from 3.5 to 7.3 inches with 6.1 inch average. Like black crappie, bluegill increased in size and abundance compared to the 1998 assessment.

Pumpkinseed sunfish, more tolerant of marginal oxygen levels than bluegill, are rarely an important component of a lake's fishery. Though not as abundant as the other panfish, pumpkinseed provide additional harvest opportunity for anglers on Little Mud Lake. More than half the pumpkinseeds measured were over 7 inches in length with 0.3 pound average weight.

Based on the assessment netting, northern pike numbers were again below the normal level for lakes of this type. Only three northerns were captured during the survey. They ranged from 21.3 to 26.6 inches in length.

What is the average air temp for Little Mud Lake?

Are there any state parks near Little Mud Lake?