Maple Lake

How big is Maple Lake?

How deep is Maple Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Maple Lake?

Are there topographical lake maps available Maple Lake?

We have an topograpical map for online viewing near the top of this page. Lake-Link Pro users can download an print a topograpical map of Maple Lake (.pdf format) along with 2,700 more lake maps. For more information on all the benefits of Lake-Link Pro click here.

Maple Lake East

Maple Lake West

Are there boat launches on Maple Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Maple Lake?

Maple Lake has a good fishery for gamefish and panfish despite heavy development, heavy use, algal blooms, and occasional low dissolved oxygen levels during winter. No severe winterkill has occurred for many years, and with the exception of walleye, fish populations have generally sustained themselves. Little natural reproduction of walleye exists and stocking is required to maintain the population in Maple Lake. Two aeration units operated by the Maple Lake Improvement District are used almost annually during the winter months in an attempt to prevent winterkill of fish species.

The Walleye gill net catch rate in Maple Lake averaged 6.1 per set in 2015, which is near the lake's historical average of 6.3 per set. Total lengths of sampled Walleyes ranged from 7.4 to 28.6 inches with an average length of 17.1 inches. There was a wide range of sizes and ages present with 16 different year classes found. This was not surprising, as Maple Lake is annually stocked with Walleye fingerlings in the fall.

The Northern Pike gill net catch rate of 15.0 pike per net was nearly double the normal range of similar lakes. The average Northern Pike length of 23.5 inches was larger than all those reported in the nine previous DNR studies on Maple Lake. Lengths of sampled Northern Pike ranged from 11.4 to 34.7 inches. Northern Pike had an average weight of 2.9 pounds.

The Bluegill trap net catch rate was 112 per set in 2015, which was nearly four times the lake's historic average of 29.3 Bluegills per set and well above the normal range for other similar lakes across the state. The average length of sampled Bluegill was 6.7 inches and lengths ranged from 3.5 to 9.6 inches. Three-year-old and four-year-old Bluegills were the most abundant in the sample.

Spring electrofishing was conducted as another method to evaluate the Largemouth Bass and Black Crappie populations. Largemouth Bass caught by electrofishing ranged in size from 4.3 to 17.7 inches with an average length of 9.8 inches. Black Crappie caught by electrofishing ranged in size from 5.6 to 11.7 inches and had an average length of 8.8 inches. Trap net catches also sampled similar sized Black Crappie, but abundance was below the historical lake average. Only 3.2 Black Crappies per trap net were captured during this survey compared to the historical lake average of 14.2 per trap net. All but two of the 45 crappies sampled were of the 2009 year class or younger.

Other lakes in the state similar to Maple Lake are typically known for their abundance of bullheads. Maple Lake at one time was no exception. However in recent surveys the bullhead numbers have been much lower. Similarly, while Common Carp are particularly noticeable to lake dwellers during summer spawning, the 2015 numbers were at a historic low with only one carp was captured.

To protect water quality, lake habitat, and good fishing, watershed residents should follow practices outlined in the DNR publication "Lakescaping for Wildlife and Water Quality" when landscaping shoreline property. Property owners should not fertilize or should use phosphorus free fertilizers, leave aquatic vegetation intact (especially emergent vegetation like bulrush and cattail), and leave natural vegetation buffers on shoreland lots. These buffers reduce nutrient and sediment input and control erosion. These actions can help slow down the natural aging process and reduce the chance for winterkill.

What is the average air temp for Maple Lake?