Busties Lake

How big is Busties Lake?

How deep is Busties Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Busties Lake?

Are there boat launches on Busties Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Busties Lake?

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Busties Lake was conducted on July 5-7, 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 four stations were sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample four stations, a 15-foot seine was used to sample one station, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at five stations. Nearshore sampling captured 10 species of fish including two species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blackchin Shiner and Blacknose Shiner) 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 comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and Bluegill and Northern Pike 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 6.3 inches, with 29% over 7 inches.

The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2021 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 Busties 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 Pine River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

What is the average air temp for Busties Lake?

Are there any state parks near Busties Lake?