Lake Pulaski

How big is Lake Pulaski?

How deep is Lake Pulaski?

What kind of fish can you catch in Lake Pulaski?

What are the closest cities to Lake Pulaski?

Are there boat launches on Lake Pulaski?

Are there places to eat and drink near Lake Pulaski?

What aquatic invasive species are found in Lake Pulaski?

Lake Pulaski is a 702 acre, highly developed lake located within the City limits of Buffalo. The lake has a maximum depth of 87 feet with relatively good water clarity for the area making it a popular lake for summer recreation. There is one (1) city owned public access located on the southwest side of the lake. Adjacent to the public access is a public swim beach and fishing pier. Eurasian milfoil is common in the lake and boaters should use care not to spread this invasive species to other lakes. A lake survey was completed August 10 - 14, 2020 to update fisheries data last collected in 2015 and included summer gill netting and trap netting.

Walleye abundance in Lake Pulaski is one of the highest in the Sauk Rapids Area. The Walleye population is sustained through fingerling stocking during even numbered years and some suspected natural reproduction. The Walleye catch in 2020 was high, but similar to 2015. Walleye ranged in length from 11 to 26 inches and averaged 18 inches and over two (2) pounds. Walleye grow fast in Lake Pulaski, reaching 15 inches in two (2) years. Even though the Walleye population is high, they are still difficult for anglers to catch due to an abundant prey base, clear water, and recreational traffic.

Northern Pike have always been abundant in the lake and the catches were again high in 2020. Northern Pike sampled ranged in length from 13 to 33 inches and averaged 19 inches and almost two (2) pounds. Only 5% of the pike sampled were longer than 26 inches and 1% were longer than 30 inches. While Northern Pike are abundant, they offer anglers the opportunity to not only catch good numbers of pike, but also some quality-sized pike as well. Anglers are encouraged to harvest the smaller pike (<22 inches) and release more of the medium-sized pike (>26 inches) in order to help balance the size structure.

Largemouth Bass populations are typically sampled by spring electrofishing; however bass sampling was not conducted in 2020 due safety concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. Largemouth Bass were last surveyed in 2015 at a rate of 133/hour, almost twice the average rate for the Sauk Rapids Area. Largemouth Bass ranged in length from seven (7) to 18 inches with an average length of 14 inches. Eighty-four percent of the bass were longer than 12 inches and 22% were longer than 15 inches. Lake Pulaski provides ample opportunities for anglers to catch high numbers of quality-sized bass.

Sunfish and crappies can provide anglers with plenty of action. Black Crappie numbers were high and similar to the 2015 survey. Crappies ranged in length from six (6) to 13 inches with an average length of eight (8) inches. Bluegill numbers were about half that from 2015, but still within the range of expected values for similar lakes. Bluegill were mostly small, but lengths ranged from three (3) to eight (8) inches with an average length of five (5) inches.

Yellow Perch abundance has always been low in Lake Pulaski. No Yellow Perch were captured in the 2020 survey and only 28 fish were caught in 2015. The lack of Yellow Perch is likely correlated to high Northern Pike and Walleye abundance.

Other species sampled included: Brown and Yellow Bullhead, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, and White Sucker.

What is the average air temp for Lake Pulaski?