Musquash Lake
Cook County, Minnesota
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We want to see what you've caught on Musquash Lake.Frequently Asked Questions About Musquash Lake, MN
- How big is Musquash Lake?
- How deep is Musquash Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Musquash Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Musquash Lake area?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Musquash Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Musquash Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Musquash Lake?
How big is Musquash Lake?
How deep is Musquash Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Musquash Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Blacknose Shiner, Brook Stickleback, Central Mudminnow, Common Shiner, Creek Chub, Fathead Minnow, Iowa Darter, Splake and White Sucker.
Are there places to stay in the Musquash Lake area?
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Are there places to eat and drink near Musquash Lake?
History & Status of the Fishery
Musquash Lake has been managed for stream trout since at least 1941, and is one of only a couple lakes in Minnesota to have been stocked with Grayling at one time. This standard survey was the first of two scheduled in the 2009 lake management plan to determine whether goals for the Splake population could be met following a reduction in the annual stocking quota from 9,000 fingerlings to 6,000 fingerlings that began in 2011. Goals for Splake in the 2009 plan were to maintain a minimum gill net catch of 10.0 fish/set, with at least three catchable-sized (over 10 inch) year classes present, and with average or better growth rates for two- and three-year-old fish.
The 2017 Splake gill net catch was very high, and even though only two gill net sets were used in this survey, it is probably safe to say the catch goal from the 2009 plan was met. Six stocked year classes contributed to the catch, five of which were catchable sized. Splake as old as seven years were sampled; however, Splake growth rates were slow. Fish reached a mean length of 10.9 inches at the end of their third year, compared to an area average of 12.8 inches. Slow growth was no doubt due to heavy competition between Splake, and intense competition for invertebrate forage from a large White Sucker population.
The White Sucker gill net catch was extremely high in 2017, the highest ever seen in Musquash Lake (by a wide margin), and far exceeding the normal range for stream trout lakes in this area. Even though some smaller White Sucker were present, most were too large to have been taken by any but the largest Splake in the lake.
Quarter-inch mesh trap nets were used in this survey to assess forage that might have been provided by the lake's minnow community. Minnows appeared to have been abundant; Fathead Minnow and Pearl Dace catches both far exceeded normal ranges for lakes in this area. Such high minnow numbers should have supported good Splake growth; it may be that invertebrate forage is more important for good growth than minnow forage bases in lakes like Musquash.
Are there any state parks near Musquash 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 Musquash Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Muckwa Lake | 0.6 mi | 49 | 25 ft |
| Mush Lake | 0.7 mi | 28 | 16 ft |
| Circle Lake | 0.8 mi | 34 | 3 ft |
| Muma Lake | 0.8 mi | 17 | |
| Eggers Lake | 1.9 mi | 13 | 11 ft |
| East Twin Lake | 2.3 mi | 173 | 19 ft |
| Pine Mountain Lake | 2.4 mi | 106 | 30 ft |
| Logger Lake | 3.0 mi | 16 | 4 ft |
| Pistol Lake | 3.1 mi | 17 | |
| West Twin Lake | 3.1 mi | 134 | 37 ft |
