West Twin Lake

How big is West Twin Lake?

How deep is West Twin Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in West Twin Lake?

What are the closest cities to West Twin Lake?

Are there boat launches on West Twin Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near West Twin Lake?

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in West Twin Lake was conducted on June 15-17, 2021 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Nearshore 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. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample seven stations, and a 15-foot seine was used to sample three stations due to difficult site conditions including deep drop offs with abundant woody habitat along the shoreline. Nearshore sampling captured 14 species of fish including four species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass) and no species that are classified as tolerant of disturbance.

A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted by IBI Program Staff. Seven trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill, and Northern Pike comprised a majority of the trap net catch by biomass, with Bluegill most abundant by number. The number of Bluegill sampled per net was above the 50% quartile for similar Lake Class 32 lakes and the average length was 5.3 inches, with only 2% over 7 inches.

The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a June 2017 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., Common Carp 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 West Lake is healthy as indicated by an exceptionally high 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 Crow Wing River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

What is the average air temp for West Twin Lake?

Are there any state parks near West Twin Lake?