Mirror Lake

How big is Mirror Lake?

How deep is Mirror Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Mirror Lake?

Are there boat launches on Mirror Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Mirror Lake?

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Mirror Lake was conducted on July 25th, 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 or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample three stations, a 15-foot seine was used at three stations, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at four stations. Nearshore sampling captured 11species of fish including three species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blacknose Shiner, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass) and zero species that are tolerant of disturbance.

A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted during the week of July 25th, 2022 by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline and in shallow offshore locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill (85%) and Rock Bass (5%) comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number, and Bluegill (59%), Northern Pike (16%), and Largemouth Bass (10%) comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Bluegill and Rock Bass sampled per net were above the 50% quartile for similar Lake Class 20 lakes.

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, Smallmouth Bass, 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 Mirror 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 Big Fork River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

What is the average air temp for Mirror Lake?

Are there any state parks near Mirror Lake?