Echo Lake

How big is Echo Lake?

How deep is Echo Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Echo Lake?

Are there boat launches on Echo Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Echo Lake?

Echo Lake is a 1,142 acre lake in St. Louis County located approximately 4 miles north of Buyck, Minnesota. Echo is a shallow lake with a maximum depth of 10 feet and dark brown tinted water. There is a public access at a US Forest Service campground on the southwest side of the lake. Echo Lake is a Minnesota Sentinel Lake; thus, investigations will be used to determine how the lake is responding to factors such as climate change, watershed development, invasive species, and runoff. This 2019 investigation was part of a regular rotation of fisheries surveys in the International Falls Management Area.

The Black Crappie catch rate in 2019 was the second highest ever recorded in Echo Lake, and much higher than what would be expected for this lake type. Growth and average size were both within the expected range for Echo. The largest caught were over 13 inches. Crappie ages ranged from 1 to 10 years old, but a particularly strong 2015 year class (age 4 at the time of this survey) made up 80% of the sample. There are also Bluegill present, but in much lower abundance.

Northern Pike catch rates were average for this type of lake. The sizes are relatively small, with an average of about 20 inches. Growth is also slower than in most other International Falls area lakes. The largest Northern Pike caught in 2019 was 27.5 inches.

Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass are most effectively sampled with electrofishing gear. Electrofishing could not be completed in 2019 due to an equipment failure, so a Bass survey could not be completed for this survey. Past surveys have shown that there is a fairly abundant Smallmouth Bass population at times, and a much less abundant Largemouth Bass population present in Echo Lake.

Walleye are abundant in Echo Lake. Nearly every survey produces catch rates greater than the expected range for this type of lake, and the 2019 investigation was no different. There is steady recruitment of new year classes, so there are a wide range of ages and sizes of Walleye in Echo. The 2019 sample included Walleye from 7 to 28 inches and ages from 1 to 17 years old. The average size sampled was 13.5 inches. Growth of these fish was similar to other International Falls area lakes.

Yellow Perch are mainly a forage species in Echo. Abundance is fairly low, and the average size is about 6 inches. There are a few that grow over 8 inches. About 80% of the Yellow Perch sampled in 2019 were from the 2017 year class.

Other species sampled during the 2019 survey included Pumpkinseed, Redhorse, and White Sucker.

What is the average air temp for Echo Lake?