Store Lake

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What kind of fish can you catch in Store Lake?

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Store (Peterson) Lake is a 52-acre, eutrophic lake in eastern Polk county that is currently vulnerable to winterkill. The lake and its fish community have undergone dramatic changes since it was first surveyed in 1983. At the time of the 1983 survey, Store was not considered a winterkill lake. Water clarity was good and it contained a diverse and well-structured fish community, not typical of a lake that experiences frequent periods of low dissolved oxygen levels.

Store Lake experienced a severe winterkill in the winter of 1993-1994. This winterkill was likely the result of lower water levels during that time period and increased nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed. Some illegal ditching activity that occurred in the mid-1980s probably contributed to these conditions. The illegal inlet and outlet ditches were subsequently plugged, but apparently not before severe damage was done. Only fish species tolerant of low oxygen conditions, such as bullheads, golden shiners, and yellow perch were captured during the 1994 survey.

Test netting in 2009 showed that Store Lake now supports modest walleye and northern pike fisheries. Brown bullheads remained the most abundant species, but numbers have declined considerably in the past decade. Walleyes stocked as fry in 2004 were nearly as abundant as bullheads in 2009 and the average walleye size was a very acceptable 17.7 inches and 1.7 pounds.

The highly variable fishery in Store Lake is a direct reflection of the decline in water quality and post-winterkill stocking. Water transparency has decreased from 12 feet in 1983 to four feet in 1999 and 2009, while phosphorus levels and nuisance algal blooms have increased. Prior to the degradation of water quality, this lake provided a popular fishery for abundant bluegills and large northern pike. Efforts to restore the northern pike and panfish populations will likely be ineffective unless trends in declining water quality can be reversed and the possibility of winterkill decreased. The history of this lake serves as a lesson that activities in a watershed can have drastic effects on lakes and their fish populations. Things that riparian owners and other watershed dwellers can do to protect water quality and fish populations include: (1) leaving wide shoreline buffer zones of unmowed vegetation, (2) leaving aquatic vegetation stands intact, especially bulrush and cattail, (3) participating in a Soil and Water Conservation District or Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Citizen Lake Monitoring Program, and (4) acquiring DNR permits for aquatic plant removal and shoreline alterations.

What is the average air temp for Store Lake?