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Frequently Asked Questions About Pelican Lake, MN
- How big is Pelican Lake?
- How deep is Pelican Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Pelican Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Pelican Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Pelican Lake area?
- Are there topographical lake maps available Pelican Lake?
- Are there boat launches on Pelican Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Pelican Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Pelican Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Pelican Lake?
How big is Pelican Lake?
How deep is Pelican Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Pelican Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Bluntnose Minnow, Brook Silverside, Central Mudminnow, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Iowa Darter, Johnny Darter, Least Darter, Spottail Shiner and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Pelican Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Pelican Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there topographical lake maps available Pelican Lake?
Are there boat launches on Pelican Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Pelican Lake?
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History & Status of the Fishery
Pelican Lake is a 337 acre lake located three miles north of Avon in Stearns County. It has a maximum depth of 46 feet and a small watershed dominated by pasture, row crops, and open water. A DNR public access is located on the northwest side of the lake. Pelican Lake is primarily managed for Walleye and Northern Pike and was last surveyed in 2010. Anglers can expect good fishing for Walleye, smaller Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass.
Emergent and floating-leaf vegetation was common along shore in early July, primarily cattail and white waterlily. Submerged vegetation was not surveyed, but northern watermilfoil, chara, and coontail were the most common species found in 2010. Water clarity was excellent; Secchi depth was 14 feet on July 5 and MPCA data show a summer average of 13 feet over the last ten years. Dissolved oxygen was adequate to support fish down to 22 feet in early July.
Walleye numbers were lower than 2010, but average for lakes similar to Pelican. Walleye fingerlings have been stocked for many years and after a low catch in the 2000 survey, the lake association stocked high numbers of Walleye fingerlings in addition to DNR stocking. This likely accounts for the high catch rate in 2010 and the lower result in 2016 after the lake association reduced their stocking. Walleye lengths in 2016 ranged from 9.8 to 28.3 inches with an average length and weight of 18.7 inches and 1.8 pounds. Most Walleye were between 2 and 5 years old and growth was fast, reaching 17 inches in 3 years. Increased stocking may boost Walleye abundance, but the cost seems prohibitive, especially given the high number of Northern Pike.
Northern Pike catches have historically been high. The catch in 2016 was lower than the past two surveys, but still well above the expected range for similar lakes. Pike were small; lengths in 2016 ranged from 15.8 to 33.7 inches with an average length and weight of 19.6 inches and 1.6 pounds. Only 3 percent of Northern Pike were 24 inches or longer, similar to 2010. High numbers of pike likely limit Walleye stocking effectiveness in Pelican Lake.
Largemouth Bass were sampled on May 26 by daytime electrofishing and bass numbers were high. The catch rate of 119.6/hour was almost three times the Sauk Rapids area daytime average of 43.3/hour and similar to 2010 results, but bass size was larger in 2016. Lengths in 2016 ranged from 5.9 to 17.6 inches with an average length of 12.9 inches. Of catchable size fish (>8 inches), 25% were 15 inches or longer.
Bluegill numbers were higher than in 2010, but within the expected range of values for lakes similar to Pelican. Lengths ranged from 3.3 to 7.8 inches with an average length of 4.8 inches. Black Crappie numbers were low, but also within the expected range for similar lakes. Lengths ranged from 4.1 to 11.9 inches with a mean length of 7.0 inches. Surveys in late summer likely under represent panfish abundance and size; netting near shore around spawning time would be more effective to assess Bluegill and Black Crappie populations.
Only one Yellow Perch was captured in 2016 and two in 2010; perch abundance is likely limited by high Northern Pike numbers. Other species captured in 2016 included: Bowfin (Dogfish), Brown and Yellow Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, and Pumpkinseed.
An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) survey was also conducted on Pelican Lake; results are summarized in a separate report.
What is the average air temp for Pelican Lake?
Are there any state parks near Pelican Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Pelican Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Pine Lake | 1.1 mi | 108 | 79 ft |
| Two Rivers Lake | 2.6 mi | 583 | 63 ft |
| Lower Spunk Lake | 2.8 mi | 179 | 27.5 ft |
| Ochotto Lake | 3.0 mi | 40 | 40 ft |
| Middle Spunk Lake | 3.4 mi | 236 | 81 ft |
| Minnie Lake | 4.0 mi | 20 | 59 ft |
| Big Spunk Lake | 4.3 mi | 415 | 38 ft |
| Kreigle Lake | 5.2 mi | 102 | 66 ft |
| Achman Lake | 5.3 mi | 47 | 30 ft |
| Pitts Lake | 6.1 mi | 114 | 18 ft |
