Lake Stay

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East Stay Lake is a shallow (max depth of 6 ft.) 224-acre southern Minnesota located in Lincoln County. Despite aeration, partial winterkills occasionally occur and restocking of gamefish is needed to sustain or improve fishing. East Stay Lake has one of the few remaining natural spawning runs for Northern Pike in Windom fisheries management area, as it is connected to several shallow basins that provide quality spawning habitat. Northern Pike and Yellow Perch are one of a few native species that can be fairly tolerant of low dissolved oxygen during the winter. As a result, East Stay Lake is managed primarily for Northern Pike and secondarily for Walleye and Yellow Perch. A survey was conducted the week of August 31, 2020 to monitor the fish community using 1 gill net and 9 trap nets.

NORTHERN PIKE

Northern Pike were captured at a rate of 7 per gill net and 1.4 per trap net. Trap nets are usually poor indicators of relative abundance during summer but gill nets are an effective summer gear. Seven Northern Pike per gill net is an above average catch rate, equal to the 75 percentile similar lakes. Northern Pike in the gill net and trap net sample ranged from 12 to just under 32 inches with an average size of 25.5 inches in gill nets and trap nets. Condition of most fish was good and was stable with increasing length, except for two 25 inch Northern Pike that were skinny. Overall, the Northern Pike population appears to be doing well. There was some concern after the last survey in 2016 with no Northern Pike caught. However, a range of sizes and year classes were caught in 2020 including a new age-0 year class! No stocking is necessary to sustain the Northern Pike population in East Stay Lake unless there is a major winterkill. Fishing should be good for Northern Pike over the next several years. Be aware that there is a southern Minnesota regulation and possession limit of 2 Northern Pike over 24 inches, so all Northern Pike under 24 inches must be released.

WALLEYE

One hundred and twenty Walleye were sampled combined in gill nets (26 fish) and trap nets (94 fish). The gill net catch rate of 26 per net was more than the long-term catch rate average of 20.6 per gill net and greater than expected. The trap net catch rate of 10.4 was also greater than expected. Of particular note was the wide range of sizes caught, from 7 to 26 inches. Walleye were last stocked in East Stay with fry in 2019 with a rotation of 3 years stocked with 1 year no stocking that started in 2013 (stocked in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016-No stocking; 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020-No Stocking). A subsample of 20 Walleye were aged and indicated 6 different year classes, 12 age-0 from 2020, 2 age-1 from 2019, 5 age-3 from 2017, 1 age-5 from 2015, 1 age-6 from 2014, and 4 age-7 fish from 2013. All but 1 age group, age-0 from 2020, were from stocked years. In addition, the age-0 was the most abundant year class. Natural reproduction is not common in East Stay but is the most likely answer for the presence of those age-0 Walleye. There was no stocking done in 2020 due to COVID-19 postponement of statewide egg-take operations. Fin clips of age-0 fish were taken and sent for genetic analysis. Genetic analysis revealed that multiple strains of Walleye were responsible for natural reproduction including the recently introduced Lower Mississippi Strain (from Lake Sarah egg-take). Walleye stocked in 2017, 2018, and 2019 were Lower Mississippi Strain Walleye. In addition to high numbers and many sizes of Walleye observed in 2020, the condition of Walleye in the sample was excellent with plump fish that resembled footballs! Overall, the Walleye population is doing very well in East Stay Lake and is at an abundance that should result in excellent fishing.

YELLOW PERCH

The catch rate of Yellow Perch in 2020 was 187 per gill net, exceeding the expected catch rate range for similar lakes, and nearly twice the long term average of 99.1 per gill net, and a record high catch rate on East Stay. Lengths of Yellow Perch ranged from just over 5.5 inches to just above 11 inches and averaged nearly 7.5 inches. No stocking is needed to sustain the Yellow Perch population, Yellow Perch in East Stay are self-sustaining with several year classes present in the length frequency histogram. Angling for Yellow Perch can be very good at East Stay Lake and the population is fast growing which makes it one of the best locations for an opportunity to catch a Jumbo perch in the Windom Fisheries Management Area.

OTHER SPECIES

The Black Bullhead catch rate was 121 per gill net exceeding the 75 percentile for similar lakes (91.4 per gill net). Lengths of Black Bullhead ranged from 3.6 to 10.6 inches in the gill net sample and averaged just over 6 inches. Other species sampled were Bigmouth Buffalo, Black Crappie, Common Carp, Freshwater Drum, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Orangespotted Sunfish, Tadpole Madtom, and White Sucker. All species were caught within (all except Common Carp, see the end of this paragraph) expected catch rate ranges, except for Largemouth Bass, Freshwater Drum, and Tadpole Madtom which are uncommon in East Stay Lake or found for the first time (Freshwater Drum). High water levels the past 2 years likely led to the introduction of Freshwater Drum and the return of uncommon species in East Stay Lake such as Tadpole Madtom and Largemouth Bass. Common Carp are another species that was present, but it appears immigration from downstream sources has increased the population. Future monitoring will help to track the status of these species that are less important to anglers, but may influence the lake in positive and negative ways.

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