Mountain Lake
Cottonwood County, Minnesota
Today's Fishing Forecast
Fishing looks to be moderately active with peak fishing times around 3-5 PM. SEE MORE
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Frequently Asked Questions About Mountain Lake, MN
- How big is Mountain Lake?
- How deep is Mountain Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Mountain Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Mountain Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Mountain Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Mountain Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Mountain Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Mountain Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Mountain Lake?
How big is Mountain Lake?
How deep is Mountain Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Mountain Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Fathead Minnow, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Orangespotted Sunfish and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Mountain Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Mountain Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Mountain Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Mountain Lake?
History & Status of the Fishery
A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community in Mountain Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff from 20-21 June 2023. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 10 sites. A 50-foot seine was used to sample seven sites, a 15-foot seine was used at two sites, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at one sampling site. Nearshore sampling captured 10 species of fish including three species (Black Bullhead, Common Carp and Fathead Minnow) that are tolerant of disturbance.
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a May-June 2022 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., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and 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 the fish community in Mountain Lake is adversely impacted by stressors as indicated by an FIBI score below the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings, which indicated that Mountain Lake was impaired for aquatic life use based on the Fish IBI. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to Watonwan River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
What is the average air temp for Mountain Lake?
Are there any state parks near Mountain 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 Mountain Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Long Lake | 2.6 mi | 99 | |
| Eagle Lake | 3.0 mi | 105 | 8 ft |
| Bingham Lake | 5.3 mi | 270 | 10 ft |
| Bartsh Lake | 5.3 mi | 57 | |
| Sulem Lake | 5.8 mi | 180 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 6.3 mi | 35 | |
| Bat Lake | 6.6 mi | 91 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 6.8 mi | 67 | |
| Butterfield Lake | 6.9 mi | 54 | 10 ft |
| Clear Lake | 7.2 mi | 79 |
