Page Lake

How big is Page Lake?

How deep is Page Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Page Lake?

What are the closest cities to Page Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Page Lake?

Page Lake is a shallow, very fertile lake located immediatley north of Hancock in southeast Stevens County. Maximum depth is approximately 17.0 ft. The lake receives extensive nutrient loading from its agricultural watershed via County Ditch 6A. These added nutrients often result in dense algal blooms during summer months. In absence of a severe bloom, water clarity averages approximately 5.0 ft. Seasonally poor water clarity and subsequent lack of submerged vegetation constitute a poor environment for cover-dependent and ambush feeding predators such as bluegill, northern pike and largemouth bass. Those gamefishes reasonably tolerant of existing habitat conditions include walleye, yellow perch, and black crappie. Even these gamefishes have been subject to infrequent winterkill events.

Page Lake is stocked with walleye fry on an alternate year schedule. Contributions of stocking have been inconsistent. Survey catches in 2011 documented that the 2008 stocking was very successful. Walleye catches averaged 20.0 fish/gillnet. All captures were age-3. Average length of fish captured during the August survey was 16.0 inches. Mean weight of walleye captured was 1.4 pounds.

A quality perch fishery currently exists in Page Lake. Twenty-one percent of survey captures exceeded 10.0 inches in length. Six percent of perch captures exceeded 12.0 inches. Growth is exceptional. Yellow perch in Page Lake approached 10.0 inches after three years. Average length of sampled perch was 8.8 inches. Mean weight was 0.36 pounds.

A severe winterkill in 1989 claimed the black crappie population. No crappie were captured during 1991, 1995, and 2001 surveys. Adult black crappie were stocked in spring of 2002 in an effort to restore the population and enhance fishing potential. Restorative stocking was successful in achieving those objectives. Trapnet catches greatly exceeded expected catches for similar lakes. Ninety-four percent of captures were age-1 fish. Growth to age-3 was exceptional. Average length of these young fish was 9.6 inches. In absence of winterkill, these fish will provide an exceptional fishery beginning as early as 2012.

Largemouth bass, northern pike, and bluegill are present, but population densities are low due to limiting habitat conditions. Young bluegill are observed, but due to lack of escape cover, few survive to catchable size. With little competition, survivors grow fast. Age-4 bluegill averaged 8.5 inches in total length. The largest bluegill captured during the 2011 survey was 9.5 inches.

Are there any state parks near Page Lake?