Vails Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota
Today's Fishing Forecast
Fishing looks to be fairly active with peak fishing times around 3-5 PM. SEE MORE
Share Your Catch & Win!
Frequently Asked Questions About Vails Lake, MN
- How big is Vails Lake?
- How deep is Vails Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Vails Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Vails Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Vails Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Vails Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Vails Lake?
- What are the fishing regulations for Vails Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Vails Lake?
How big is Vails Lake?
How deep is Vails Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Vails Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Brook Stickleback, Common Shiner, Fathead Minnow, Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Spottail Shiner and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Vails Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Vails Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Vails Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Vails Lake?
What are the fishing regulations for Vails Lake?
There are specific fishing regulations Vails Lake that you need to know. For complete fishing regulations visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. To report a violation call (800) 652-9093. Need a Minnesota fishing license?
Explore the Vails Lake area in a RV
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Extremely light, very easy to tow 2019 Gulf Stream Amerilite
Cold spring, MN
History & Status of the Fishery
A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community in Vails Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff starting June 17, 2019. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sites with one site sampled from the boat due to site conditions. A 50-foot seine was used to sample six sites, a 15-foot seine was used at two sites, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at two sampling sites. Nearshore sampling captured 12 native species of fish including one species that is intolerant of disturbance (Iowa Darter) and two species that are tolerant of disturbance (Fathead Minnow and Green Sunfish).
Data from this targeted nearshore survey is combined with trap net and gill net data from a June 2018 standard survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based Index of Biological Integrity (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Fathead Minnow and Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Data from this survey provides supporting evidence that the fish community in Vails Lake is adversely impacted by stressors as indicated by an FIBI score near the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Sauk River Watershed assessment of surface waters process completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
What is the average air temp for Vails Lake?
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Vails Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Eden Lake | 1.0 mi | 278 | 77 ft |
| South Brown's Lake | 2.2 mi | 65 | 5 ft |
| North Brown's Lake | 3.3 mi | 312 | 41 ft |
| Long Lake | 4.2 mi | 487 | 35 ft |
| Deep Lake | 4.7 mi | 54 | 54 ft |
| Rice Lake | 4.7 mi | 1,513 | 41 ft |
| Mud Lake | 4.9 mi | 67 | |
| Shackman Lake | 5.3 mi | 57 | |
| Pirz Lake | 5.5 mi | 67 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 5.6 mi | 10 |
