Dark Lake

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Dark Lake is a 232-acre lake located 9 miles north of Buhl, MN. The lake has a maximum depth of 31 ft and a littoral area of 138 acres. Dark Lake is in lake class 11 and has a public access on the west shore of the north basin. Water chemistry analysis indicated hard water with an alkalinity of 199 ppm, and low fertility with a total phosphorous of 0.02 ppm.

Walleye gill-net catch was 1.0/net and was similar to the lower end of the expected range. Gill net catch rates have historically been low and varied from 0 to 2.7/net. Sample size was too low to calculate size structure indices in 2006, but size structure was good with fish varying from 17 to 21 inches. Growth was similar to the statewide average with fish averaging 18 inches by age six. Walleye fingerlings have been stocked every other year since 2000. Despite regular stocking, the walleye population remains low, suggesting that walleye stocking is not making a noticeable contribution to the walleye fishery.

The northern pike gill net catch was 3.0/net, which equaled the average for similar lakes. Catch rates in past assessments have varied from 2.2 to 6.4/gill net. Size structure was moderate with most fish between 17 and 26 inches. Growth was similar to the statewide average for fish ages 1 to 3, and faster than the average for fish ages 4 to 6. Northern pike averaged 30 inches by age six. Northern pike may be growing faster once they are able to switch prey from a small population of yellow perch to larger, more abundant white suckers.

The black crappie gill net catch was good with a catch rate of 4.0/gill net, which was within the range of expected values for similar lakes. The trap net catch was 1.2/net, which was similar to the lower end of the range for similar lakes. The high gill net catch was due to a large number of 4-inch black crappie sampled in the north basin. Catch rates in past assessments varied from 0.2 to 8.0 fish/net for gill nets and 0.7 to 7.0 fish/net for trap nets. Sample size was too low to calculate size structure indices, however, most fish were around 4 inches with a few larger fish up to 10 inches sampled. Growth was slower than the statewide average with fish averaging 8 inches by age five.

The bluegill trap net catch was 5.9/net and was similar to the average for similar lakes. Catch rates in past assessments have varied from 1.6 to 9.4/trap net. Size structure was poor with no fish sampled greater than 8 inches. Growth was similar to the statewide average with fish averaging 6.8 inches at age seven.

Yellow perch gill net catch was 2.3/net, which was similar to the lower end of the expected range. Catch rates in past assessments have varied from 2.3 to 21.2/gill net. Size structure was poor with no fish larger than 6.5 inches sampled. Growth was similar to the statewide average.

Other fish sampled include: rock bass, white sucker, pumpkinseed sunfish, Johnny darter, bluntnose minnow, common shiner, golden shiner, spottail shiner, and tadpole madtom.

The 2006 assessment was a full survey, which included vegetation sampling, and substrate and spawning area descriptions. Vegetation sampling described the abundance of 54 different aquatic and riparian plant species. Substrate was primarily sand with lesser amounts of boulder, rubble, gravel, and muck. Spawning habitat was rated fair for walleye and good for black crappie, northern pike, bluegill and largemouth bass.

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