Johnson Lake

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What kind of fish can you catch in Johnson Lake?

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Are there boat launches on Johnson Lake?

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Johnson Lake (also known as Grant Lake) is a 63-acre, undeveloped natural lake located 8 miles northeast of Clearbrook in northern Clearwater County. Johnson has an average water clarity of 7 feet and a maximum depth of 70 feet. Johnson Lake has multiple small inlets and one outlet connecting to the Clearwater River. A public access is located on county road 15, near the outlet on the northeastern shore.

A standard survey was completed on Johnson Lake in 2023 to assess the fish community. Gamefish species targeted by anglers in this lake include Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch.

Walleye lengths ranged from 15 to 23 inches and averaged 19 inches. Walleye abundance decreased from 2013 and was below the lake's historical average, but still within the typical range for lakes with similar morphological characteristics. The Walleye population is sustained by stocking on an alternate year rotation. Two year classes were captured, likely originating from the 2018 and 2020 stocking events.

Northern Pike abundance was average for the lake and within the typical range for similar lakes in Minnesota. Northern Pike ranged from 16 to 26 inches and averaged 21 inches. Fifty-three percent of the Northern Pike captured in gill nets were larger than 22 inches, but only six percent were over 26 inches.

Bluegill abundance remains low and below the normal range for this lake type. Bluegill lengths averaged 6 inches. Pumpkinseed abundance was above average, but fish were small with lengths ranging from 3 to 6 inches. Four Largemouth Bass were captured and averaged 12 inches.

Yellow Perch is considered an important forage species for large predators like Walleye, Northern Pike, and Largemouth Bass. Yellow Perch abundance was above average and lengths ranged from 5 to 9 inches. Other species sampled during the survey included Black Bullhead and White Sucker.

Currently no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been found in Johnson Lake. AIS can be transferred by anglers and boats from infested to non-infested waterbodies. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the lake. Please follow the current AIS regulations to avoid spreading to other lakes.