Lewis Lake

How big is Lewis Lake?

How deep is Lewis Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Lewis Lake?

What are the closest cities to Lewis Lake?

Are there topographical lake maps available Lewis Lake?

We have an topograpical map for online viewing near the top of this page. Lake-Link Pro users can download an print a topograpical map of Lewis Lake (.pdf format) along with 2,700 more lake maps. For more information on all the benefits of Lake-Link Pro click here.

Lewis Lake

Are there boat launches on Lewis Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Lewis Lake?

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Lewis Lake was conducted on July 18-20, 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 ten sampling stations, but three stations were sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample three stations, a 15-foot seine was used at four stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at three stations. Nearshore sampling captured sixteen species of fish including six species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Least Darter, and Pugnose Shiner) and one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish).

A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured eight species of fish, including two that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish). Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number and biomass.

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., Black Bullhead 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.

Results from this survey indicate that the fish community in Lewis Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score that exceeds the exceptional use threshold determined for similar lakes. These results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Rum River Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

What is the average air temp for Lewis Lake?