East Graham Lake

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What kind of fish can you catch in East Graham Lake?

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Are there boat launches on East Graham Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near East Graham Lake?

East Graham Lake is a 604-acre lake located near the Town of Kinbrae in Nobles County. East Graham Lake has a maximum depth of 8.0 feet, and typically has turbid water. East Graham Lake has historically been susceptible to low dissolved oxygen levels during winters, as it was opened to liberalized fishing 16 times from 1952 to 1982. Historically lakes were opened to liberalized fishing once dissolved oxygen levels got down to 2.0 parts per million. Subsequently we have learned that many times these systems achieve that level and don't winterkill. More recently, East Graham Lake experienced low dissolved oxygen levels during the winter of 2009-2010 and the winter of 2013-2014; however, no significant winterkills were reported. The Power House Ice Eater system replaced the old Helixor system in 2007 and continues to be operated by the Nobles County Parks Department. East Graham Lake is managed primarily for Walleye and Northern Pike and secondarily for Black Crappie. Walleye fry are stocked at a rate of 500 per littoral acre, two out of three years. Black Crappie have not been stocked in the last decade because they are able to maintain their population through natural reproduction, or through immigration from connected waterbodies. Northern Pike were stocked in 2022 to supplement the existing population, but prior to that had not been stocked in the last decade. East Graham Lake was surveyed the week of June 14, 2022 to monitor fish populations using three gill nets and eight trap nets.

Walleye catch rates in East Graham have varied from 3.7 per gill net in 2003 to 33.7 per gill net in 1999 and have averaged 12.4 per gill net since 1986. The 2022 Walleye catch rate was 4.7 per gill net, which is below the long-term average of 12.4 per gill net, but within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (2.3 to 18.1 per gill net). Walleye lengths ranged from 13.4 inches to 25.6 inches and averaged 19.2 inches. Six year classes of Walleye were sampled including fish from stocked years (2013, 2017, and 2018) and fish from non-stocked years (2016, 2019, and 2020). These year classes of fish that show up in non-stocked years may be an indication of natural reproduction and/or immigration. Despite the lower catch rate, East Graham produces a good Walleye bite during early ice annually.

Since 1986, Northern Pike catch rates have averaged 3.2 per gill net, with catch rates ranging from 0 per gill net in 1991 to 8.3 per gill net in 2015. In 2022, the Northern Pike catch rate was 1.3 per gill net, which is near the lower end of the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (1.1 per gill net). Historically, the Northern Pike Population has been sustained through natural reproduction, as there are several wetlands present around the lake that provide spawning habitat when connected during the spawning season. Additionally, connections to the West Fork of the Des Moines River, West Graham Lake, and Fulda Lakes likely allow for Northern Pike movement from these waterbodies. Lengths of Northern Pike ranged from 17.7 inches to 34.6 inches and averaged 25.6 inches. Northern Pike fingerlings (n=676) were stocked during the fall of 2022 to supplement the existing population. East Graham Lake is within the "southern zone" of the Northern Pike zone regulations, so two Pike longer than 24 inches can be harvested. Northern Pike under 24 inches must be released.

Black Crappie catch rates in East Graham Lake have been highly variable since 1986, ranging from 0.5 per trap net in 2015 to 68 per trap net in 2007 and averaging 25.6 per trap net over that span. In 2022, the Black Crappie catch rate was 26.3 per trap net, slightly above the long-term average and exceeding the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (1.2 to 20.5 per trap net). Lengths of Black Crappie ranged from 6.0 inches to 13.4 inches and averaged 7.7 inches. Black Crappie exceeding 10.0 inches comprised nearly 20 percent of the trap net sample and should provide a quality angling opportunity.

Freshwater Drum have not been sampled in East Graham prior to the 2022 survey, during which they were sampled at a rate of 2.7 per gill net and 0.1 per trap net. Lengths of Freshwater Drum ranged from 10.4 inches to 12.6 inches and averaged 11.0 inches. Three Freshwater Drum were aged and were from the 2020 year-class (age-2). This is the first time Freshwater Drum have been sampled in the West Fork of the Des Moines River watershed. Although it is possible that the presence and/or sampling Freshwater Drum may be from illegal stocking, it would also be possible from another source (such as a watershed breach from the Little Sioux Watershed or Rock River Watershed) downstream via high water.

Historically, Yellow Perch have occurred in low abundance in East Graham Lake and that trend continued as the 2022 catch rate was 1.7 per gill net. The Black Bullhead catch rate remained similar to prior years at 73.3 per gill net, slightly above the long-term average of 61.3 per gill net and within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (30.3 to 150.6 per gill net). Lengths of Black Bullhead ranged from 5.0 to 11.9 inches and averaged 8.7 inches. The Channel Catfish catch rate in 2022 was the same as the catch rates in 2015 at 2.7 per gill net. Other species sampled included Bigmouth Buffalo, Common Carp, Green Sunfish, Quillback, White Sucker, Orangespotted Sunfish, White Crappie and Yellow Bullhead.

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Are there any state parks near East Graham Lake?