Church Lake

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Church Lake (also known as Priest Lake or Erie Lake) is a 167-acre lake located 7.5 miles east of the town of Mahnomen, MN. Local residents report that the lake produced good fishing for northern pike in the past, but now supports few gamefish due to winterkill.

Past management activities have included stocking and dissolved oxygen monitoring. During the 1970s, sunfish (mostly bluegills) were stocked six times, northern pike were stocked twice, and crappies were introduced once. 100,000 walleye fry were stocked in 1976 and again in 1978. More recently, brood bluegills and northern pike were stocked about eight years ago. Records of dissolved oxygen monitoring show that the lake periodically winterkilled in the 1970's and 1980's, but no heavy winterkill has been documented for over 20 years.

Church Lake was initially surveyed in 1999. Test netting indicated that the fish community was dominated by white suckers. Net catches for white suckers were twenty times the median values for similar lakes. Captured suckers represented several year classes and ranged in length from 5.5 to 20 inches. These fish were likely introduced by a private bait dealer. A few pike and one bluegill were also captured during this first survey.

The 2010 fish assessment showed somewhat of a changed fishery. Pike remained present in modest numbers but were larger than in 1999. The average pike weight increased from 2.0 pounds to 2.9 pounds. Largemouth bass and yellow perch (not found in 1999) were present in higher than normal numbers in 2010 for lakes of this ecological type. Average sizes for these two species and for bluegill were typical or better with bass ranging from 6.6 to 16.9 inches, perch ranging from 3.7 to 12.1 inches, and bluegills ranging from 5.0 to 10 inches.

Spawning conditions for the listed species appeared to be very good, but successful year classes were limited. For unknown reasons, spawning successes appear less consistent than expected. Present high water levels make shoreline marsh areas accessible for northern pike spawning, and firm shoal areas with emergent vegetaion are available for sunfish nesting. Northern pike and sunfish populations were expected to expand through natural reproduction and provide a recreational fishery in between winterkills.

Although recent high water levels have probably reduced the frequency of severe winterkill, future kills are inevitable. Northern pike and panfish can be restocked after the next winterkill occurs, since suitable habitat is readily available for these species. Protecting natural shorelines and aquatic vegetation stands will help these gamefish populations to become re-established more quickly.

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