Moran Lake

How big is Moran Lake?

How deep is Moran Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Moran Lake?

What are the closest cities to Moran Lake?

Are there boat launches on Moran Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Moran Lake?

Moran Lake is located four miles south of Park Rapids in southern Hubbard County. Moran is a long, narrow, shallow lake with a surface area of 100 acres and a maximum depth of only 15 feet. A county-owned public access with an earthen ramp is located on the north end of the lake off of 149th Avenue. Moran provides fishing opportunities for Northern Pike, Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Largemouth Bass.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Moran is in lake class 42. Class 42 lakes have the characteristics of being shallow, hard water, and 100% littoral (water depth of 15 feet or less). Due to the shallow depth, Moran is subject to periodic "winterkill" events. Winterkill usually happens during winters with heavy snowfall and long ice cover on the lakes. Heavy snow cover and ice on the lakes block sunlight from penetrating into the water, which in turn limits oxygen production through photosynthesis. At the same time, decaying aquatic vegetation on the lake bottom uses oxygen, which causes oxygen levels in the lake to drop. Shallow, weedy lakes are more likely to winterkill than are deep water lakes. Gamefish such as Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Walleye are more susceptible to low oxygen levels than are Northern Pike or Black Bullhead. The winterkill events on Moran have been infrequent and partial, with a gamefish population remaining. The last notable winterkill on Moran occurred during the winter of 1988-1989, 2003 - 2004, and 2013 -2014.

Moran supports an abundant Northern Pike population. Anglers will find lots of smaller sized Northern Pike in the 19 to 22 inch size range. Sampled Northern Pike had an average length and weight of 20.9 inches and 2.1 pounds, with fish measured up to 30.9 inches. Panfish are a popular choice for anglers on Moran with recent surveys showing good Bluegill numbers with fish in the 6-8 inch size range. Pumpkinseed are also present, but small in size, with most fish under 6 inches in length. Present and past surveys have shown Moran to support a low Black Crappie population. Largemouth Bass abundance was up in Moran with fish up to 17.3 inches sampled. Largemouth Bass have been sampled in low numbers in past surveys on Moran. Yellow Perch were sampled in moderate numbers, but size was small, with few fish of an acceptable size for angling.

Currently no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Moran. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the lake.

What is the average air temp for Moran Lake?

Are there any state parks near Moran Lake?