Grand Lake

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What aquatic invasive species are found in Grand Lake?

Grand Lake is a 650 acre lake located two miles south of Rockville in eastern Stearns County. It has a maximum depth of 34 feet and a modest watershed dominated by row crops, forest and pasture. A DNR public access is located on the south side of the lake. Grand Lake is primarily managed for Northern Pike and Walleye and was last surveyed in 2008. Anglers can expect good fishing for smaller Northern Pike and good sized Walleye.

Emergent and floating leaf vegetation was common along the south and west shoreline, primarily wild rice, yellow waterlily and bulrush. Submerged vegetation was not surveyed, but coontail and chara were the dominant species in 2008. Curly leaf pondweed was present but rare. Water clarity was good; Secchi depth was 5.5 feet in August and MPCA data show an average of six feet over the last ten years. Dissolved oxygen was adequate to support fish down to 20 feet in mid July.

Walleye numbers were identical to 2008, but lower than 1998 and near the average for similar lakes. Walleye lengths ranged from 10.2 inches to 27.6 inches with an average length and weight of 18.5 inches and 2.0 pounds. Walleye ages ranged from 2 to 16 years old with most fish between 4 and 7 years old. Walleye growth was fast, averaging nearly 16 inches in three years. Walleye fingerlings have been stocked every other year for many years by the DNR and occasionally by the lake association.

Northern Pike catches have been high in recent surveys. The catch rates in 2015, 2008 and 1998 were well above the expected range of values for similar lakes. Northern Pike lengths in 2015 ranged from 10.5 to 29.3 inches with an average length and weight of 19.0 inches and 1.7 pounds. Northern Pike were smaller compared to the last survey; only 6% of pike were 24 inches or longer in 2015, compared to 26% in 2008.

Largemouth Bass were sampled in May by nighttime boat electrofishing; bass numbers were low, but size was good. The catch rate of 28.2/hour was low compared with the Sauk Rapids Area average of 73.6/hour; however, the results in 2008 (82.9/hour) were much higher. Lengths in 2015 ranged from 8.0 to 17.8 inches with an average length of 13.8 inches. Of catchable size fish (>8 inches), 33% were longer than 15 inches.

Bluegill numbers were much higher than 2008, but within the range of expected values. Lengths ranged from 2.9 inches to 9.3 inches with an average length of 5.4 inches. Black Crappie numbers were low, but similar to other lakes like Grand. Lengths ranged from 4.2 to 12.2 inches with an average length of 8.2 inches. Surveys in late summer likely under represent panfish abundance and size; netting near shore around spawning time would probably be more effective.

Very few Yellow Perch were caught, well below the average for similar lakes. Lengths ranged from 5.1 to 8.9 inches with an average length of 6.6 inches. Yellow Perch abundance is likely limited by high numbers of Northern Pike.

Others species captured included Black, Brown, and Yellow Bullhead, Bowfin (Dogfish), Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed and White Sucker.

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