Widow Lake

How big is Widow Lake?

How deep is Widow Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Widow Lake?

What are the closest cities to Widow Lake?

Are there boat launches on Widow Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Widow Lake?

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Widow Lake was conducted on June 21-23, 2022 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sampling stations, but one station was sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample seven stations, a 15-foot seine was used to sample two stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at one station. Nearshore sampling captured 15 species of fish including six species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Least Darter, and Rock Bass) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance.

A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline and in shallow offshore locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Yellow Bullhead comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and Bluegill, Bowfin, and Black Crappie comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Bluegill sampled per net was above the 50% quartile for similar Lake Class 31 lakes and the average length was 6.8 inches, with 42% over 7 inches.

The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from an August 2020 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.

Data from this survey indicates Widow Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score, well above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Leech Lake River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

What is the average air temp for Widow Lake?

Are there any state parks near Widow Lake?