Scotch Lake
Le Sueur County, Minnesota
Today's Fishing Forecast
Fishing looks to be fairly active with peak fishing times around 3-5 PM. SEE MORE
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Frequently Asked Questions About Scotch Lake, MN
- How big is Scotch Lake?
- How deep is Scotch Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Scotch Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Scotch Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Scotch Lake area?
- Are there topographical lake maps available Scotch Lake?
- Are there boat launches on Scotch Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Scotch Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Scotch Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Scotch Lake?
How big is Scotch Lake?
How deep is Scotch Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Scotch Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Fathead Minnow, Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Scotch Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Scotch Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there topographical lake maps available Scotch Lake?
Are there boat launches on Scotch Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Scotch Lake?
Explore the Scotch Lake area in a RV
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History & Status of the Fishery
Scotch Lake is a 565-acre lake located in Le Sueur County near the city of Cleveland. A public access is located on the northwest side of the lake, just off 271st Avenue. Scotch Lake is a shallow basin with a maximum depth of 11 feet.
Scotch Lake experienced a strong winterkill during the winter of 2022-2023. Members of the public reported dead fish along the shoreline following ice out. High water clarity and large amounts of aquatic vegetation pointed toward a mostly fishless community so it was decided a targeted survey would be conducted the week of August 23, 2023. This targeted survey consisted of deploying 2 gill nets to monitor the fish community.
A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e., spawning season, fall season, etc.) unlike a standard survey which samples a wider range of fish species during the summer months using standard methods (i.e., standard time of year, set sampling stations, taking water clarity readings and oxygen/temperature profiles, etc.) and gears (i.e., lake survey gillnets, trap nets, and spring electrofishing for Largemouth Bass). Results from this targeted survey should not be compared to results from standard surveys.
Black Bullheads were the most abundant species in the nets. A total of 122 black bullhead were collected. Black Bullhead ranged in length from 6.6 to 12.5 inches, with an average length of 10.6 inches. Black Bullheads thrive in shallow lakes with high productivity, so their high abundance in Scotch Lake is expected.
Common Carp had become well established in recent years. Common Carp abundance was low in 2023 with 3 individuals sampled for a catch rate of 1.5/gill net. Common Carp averaged 9.2 inches in length.
Yellow Perch were sampled at a rate of 13/gillnet in 2023. These fish ranged in size from 6.5 inches to 9.1 inches and averaged 7.5 inches in total length. One northern pike was sampled in 2023, it was 15.6 inches in length. Golden Shiners were sampled at a rate of 4.0/ gill net. They ranged in size from 6.0 inches to 7.4 inches and averaged 6.4 inches in total length.
Approximately 141,000 Walleye fry were stocked in 2023 following the winter kill. Walleye were the primary predator fish species observed during the 2023 survey. The gillnets averaged 24.5/net. The length of walleye ranged from 6.7 to 9.1 inches and averaged over 7.5 inches. A walleye maintenance stocking program has been in place at Scotch Lake for years to sustain the population.
What is the average air temp for Scotch Lake?
Are there any state parks near Scotch Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Scotch Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Huoy Lake | 1.6 mi | 47 | |
| Lake Henry | 2.1 mi | 346 | |
| Silver Lake | 2.1 mi | 96 | |
| Middle Jefferson Lake | 2.9 mi | 667 | 8 ft |
| Dog Lake | 3.0 mi | 200 | |
| West Jefferson Lake | 3.2 mi | 439 | 24 ft |
| Unnamed Lake | 3.4 mi | 64 | |
| Bossuot Lake | 3.7 mi | 151 | |
| East Jefferson Lake | 3.7 mi | 685 | 37 ft |
| Goose Lake | 3.8 mi | 64 |
