Island Lake

How big is Island Lake?

How deep is Island Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Island Lake?

What are the closest cities to Island Lake?

Are there boat launches on Island Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Island Lake?

What are the fishing regulations for Island Lake?

There are specific fishing regulations Island 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?

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Island Lake was conducted on July 11-15, 2021 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Nearshore sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 24 sampling stations, but one station was sampled from the boat due to soft substrate, deep water, and dense vegetation. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample eleven stations, a 15-foot seine was used at eleven stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at two stations. Nearshore sampling captured 19 species of fish including six species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Burbot, Iowa Darter, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass) and 1 species that is tolerant of disturbance (Black Bullhead).

A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted by IBI Program Staff. Fifteen trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Yellow Perch were the most abundant by number and Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Northern Pike comprised the majority of the trap net catch biomass.

The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a June 2021 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., Blackchin Shiner, Least Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead 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 indicates Island Lake is healthy as indicated by a FIBI score well above 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 Big Fork River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

What is the average air temp for Island Lake?