Rush Lake

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Rush Lake is a 293-acre lake with a maximum depth of around 4 feet, located near the Iowa-Minnesota border. Rush is almost continuously connected via the outlet to Anderson Slough, Pearl, and Loon Lakes. Because of this connection, fish tend to immigrate and emigrate throughout this chain of lakes. Rush Lake has only been surveyed twice (1988, 2007) and as a result fish community and abundance data is limited. This is due in part because access has been an issue in the past. In 2001, the problem of access changed with the 40-acre Rush Lake AMA acquisition by the then Division of Fisheries. Although boat access continues to be an issue, plans are underway with the DNR Division of Trails and Waterways to put an unimproved road and boat access within the Rush AMA. Rush has had a long history of low dissolved oxygen and liberalized fishing. Despite this history, Rush continues to spark interest by local sportsmen. Commercial operators have frequently captured fish species such as largemouth bass, channel catfish, and walleye, which are often eradicated during partial winterkills. This may suggest there are spots within the lake that provide refuge and/or the continuous connection to other bodies that repopulate the fishery via immigration. Rush Lake is managed primarily for northern pike and yellow perch and secondarily for crappie. A population assessment was conducted during the week of May 2, 2007 using 1 gill net and 3 trap nets.

Based on trap netting data, northern pike numbers could be better. Total lengths ranged from 21.5 to 25.9 inches with an average of 23.4 inches. All northern pike sampled were from the 2004-year class, which may correspond to a 2004 fry stocking. Ironically northern pike fry stocking has not been very successful in many other Windom Area lakes. In 2004, Loon Lake was stocked with northern pike fingerlings and some of those may have immigrated to Rush Lake. If seasonal conditions create good spawning habitat upstream of Rush, northern pike numbers could increase. It would not be surprising to catch a northern while targeting perch on Rush Lake.

Based on this quick population assessment, yellow perch numbers were respectable when compared to other Windom Area lakes. Total lengths in gill nets ranged from 5.9 to 11.6 inches with a mean of 9.0 inches. Six year classes of yellow perch were sampled and growth rates are "good", as an Age 5 perch averaged 10.2 inches in length. Yellow perch numbers tend to be cyclical, but the relatively new Rush Aquatic Management Area would provide good shore fishing opportunities for perch.

As in other Windom Area lakes, black bullhead numbers were within the expected range. All sizes of bullheads were sampled with the largest being 13.4 inches. Shore fishing for bullheads on Rush Lake Aquatic Management Area would likely keep kids interest.

Other species, such as common carp and bigmouth buffalo, are fairly abundant. Most (92%) of the carp were 12-16 inches. Given the consistent connection to other bodies of water, controlling the numbers of carp is probably best accomplished by stocking of predators and/or commercial fishing. There is virtually no elevation change among Rush and Andersons Slough, Pearl, and Loon lakes. Installing a fish barrier to prevent movement of common carp will not likely be successful.

Efforts to improve the health of the lake should focus on best management practices within the watershed. Improvements and education in land stewardship will often have secondary benefits to the lake in the way of quality and quantity of habitat. Generally, improvements in the quality and quantity of lake habitat will mean direct improvements of the fishery.

Prepared by
Ryan Doorenbos

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