Crooked Lake

How big is Crooked Lake?

How deep is Crooked Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Crooked Lake?

What are the closest cities to Crooked Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Crooked Lake?

What are the fishing regulations for Crooked Lake?

There are specific fishing regulations Crooked Lake that you need to know. For complete fishing regulations visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. To report a violation call (800) 652-9093. Need a Minnesota fishing license?

Long and Crooked Lakes are small connected lakes located 3 miles southwest of the City of Clearwater. Long Lake is 49 acres in size and has a maximum depth of 38 feet, whereas Crooked Lake is 65 acres and has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lakes are connected by a navigable channel on the south end of Long Lake. A public access is located on the west side of Long Lake however parking is limited with room for only three vehicle trailer combinations. The lakes have good water quality (13' clarity) and support a diverse plant community. The fishery for Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass and panfish is similar in both lakes. A 12 to 20 inch protected slot limit with one over 20 inches allowed in possession for Largemouth Bass has been in place since 2006. A standard survey was conducted in 2016 to monitor changes in the fishery since the last survey conducted in 2001.

Northern Pike catches decreased from 2001 to within management goals, but pike remained small in size. The average size was 18 inches and 1.4 pounds; the largest individual sampled during the survey was 28 inches and 4.4 pounds. No Yellow Perch were sampled in the survey. The low number of perch in the lakes is likely due to historically high Northern Pike abundance, resulting in smaller pike. Walleye are not a managed species and the only stocking took place in Long Lake in 1978 and 1979; however Walleye are present in the lakes in very low numbers.

Largemouth Bass abundance has remained well above average for the Sauk Rapids Management Area. Since the special regulation took effect in 2006 the average length of bass has increased from 9 to 11 inches. Even with an increase in average size, fish over 15 inches are still relatively rare. The largest bass captured was over 19 inches in length.

In the 1980s, Bluegills were abundant and small; however since 2001 trap net catches have declined to more normal levels. Since 1989, the average length of Bluegill has increased from 5 inches to over 6 inches with 10 percent of the catchable Bluegill being larger than eight inches in length. Few Black Crappie were sampled and appear to be uncommon based on previous surveys however large crappies up to 12 inches were observed during spring electrofishing.
Other species sampled during the survey included: Black Bullhead, Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Bullhead. All of these species were sampled at rates either within or below the range of expected values for the respective lake class.

Anglers may be able to improve the fishery by selectively harvesting smaller Northern Pike (< 22 inches) and Largemouth Bass (< 12 inches) and releasing larger fish. Land owners on the lake and within the watershed are encouraged to preserve native vegetation and minimize run-off to preserve water quality in the lakes. Emergent and floating leaf vegetation was mapped on both lakes and it was determined that approximately 95% of the shoreline contained at least one type of native vegetation with wild rice and white waterlily being the most common species on Long Lake whereas cattail and yellow waterlily were the most common species found on Crooked Lake. Changes in shoreline development have the potential to negatively affect the health of a lake. It is important that all lake shore owners follow County shoreline rules and only mow a small area down to the lake to allow access and avoid clearing their entire shoreline. Native vegetation helps stabilize shoreline soils and acts as a buffer reducing the amount of pollution that enters a lake from runoff.

What is the average air temp for Crooked Lake?