Coal Lake
Todd County, Minnesota
Share your catch!
We want to see what you've caught on Coal Lake.Frequently Asked Questions About Coal Lake, MN
- How big is Coal Lake?
- How deep is Coal Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Coal Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Coal Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Coal Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Coal Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Coal Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Coal Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Coal Lake?
How big is Coal Lake?
How deep is Coal Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Coal Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Bluntnose Minnow, Central Mudminnow, Fathead Minnow, Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Iowa Darter, Johnny Darter, Tadpole Madtom and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Coal Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Coal Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Coal Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Coal Lake?
Explore the Coal Lake area in a RV
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History & Status of the Fishery
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Coal Lake was conducted on June 28 and July 1, 2022 by Little Falls Area Fisheries Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot seine. Backpack electrofishing was performed at all stations with one site being electrofished from the boat. Seining was completed at nine of ten sampling stations. Several seine hauls consisted of lengthened hauls to increase the area sampled. Some heavily vegetated and/or soft bottom stations required shortened hauls or fixed-pole sampling. Nearshore sampling captured 14 species of fish including a single species that is intolerant of disturbance (Iowa Darter) and two species that are tolerant of disturbance (Green Sunfish, Black Bullhead).
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from the June 2022 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (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., Banded Killifish, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., 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 indicates Coal Lake is "normal" as indicated by the FIBI score of 49, above the impairment threshold (38) for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. The score from 2022 is quite similar to past scores in 2011 (46.5) and 2017 (52.1) and the species composition/assemblage showed minimal differences. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community during the Long Prairie River Watershed assessment process completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
What is the average air temp for Coal Lake?
Are there any state parks near Coal Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Coal Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Round Lake | 1.6 mi | 52 | |
| Thunder Lake | 2.6 mi | 215 | 17 ft |
| Mud Lake | 2.7 mi | 99 | |
| Mill Lake | 3.1 mi | 167 | 18 ft |
| Pine Island Lake | 3.1 mi | 238 | 26 ft |
| Rice Lake | 4.2 mi | 562 | 8 ft |
| Horseshoe Lake | 4.4 mi | 121 | 24 ft |
| Carland Lake | 5.0 mi | 20 | |
| Big Lake | 5.4 mi | 297 | 21 ft |
| Unnamed Lake | 5.6 mi | 17 |
