DNR Aitkin area fisheries schedules summer fieldwork

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DNR Aitkin area fisheries schedules summer fieldwork
(Released April 4, 2011)


The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) area fisheries office in Aitkin has announced the assessment schedule for the 2011 field season.   

The DNR does fisheries surveys and assessments on a regular basis to monitor changes in fish populations, and to determine if management strategies have been effective. Survey frequency varies on each lake based on ongoing management evaluations and by angler use. 

Large lakes with heavy use are scheduled more frequently than small remote lakes. Lakes that are stocked on a regular basis are also sampled more frequently to assess stocking success and monitor growth rates.   Staff then review the data and incorporate it into individual fisheries lake management plans. The plans identify goals for key species in the lake and outline specific management activities.

 Below is a list of fisheries related fieldwork that is scheduled for this field season.

As soon as the ice is out:

Moulton and Round lakes west of McGregor - walleye trap net and electrofishing for mark and recapture
Hill Lake - northern pike and crappie assessments.
 Beginning in May through early June:

Cedar Lake west of Aitkin - muskie trap net and electro-fishing
Long Lake - electrofishing
Glacier, Ball Bluff, Sunset, Sugar and Cedar lakes – largemouth bass electrofishing.
 June through October:

Glacier Lake (June 13-17) and Ball Bluff Lake (June 20-24) - standard surveys
Rat Lake - population assessment June 27-July 1
Hanging Kettle Lake - special assessment June 27-July 1
Sunset Lake - standard survey July 18-21
Hill Lake - special assessment July 25-27
Moulton Lake (Aug. 1-3) and Sugar Lake (Aug. 8-12) - population assessments
Cedar  Lake (Aug. 15-19) and Big Pine Lake (Aug. 29-Sept. 2) - standard surveys
Gun and French Lakes - special assessments Aug. 22-26
Ball Bluff, Little Ball Bluff, Big Sandy, Cedar, Farm Island, Long, Little Pine, Round (01-0070), Round (01-00204) lakes - August - tullibee habitat assessments
Mille Lacs Lake - annual fall surveys in September, and zebra mussel related assessments throughout the summer
Big Sandy, Farm Island, Mille Lacs, Clear, Minnewawa, Dam, Spirit, Gun and Wladimiraf (Section 10) lakes - fall juvenile walleye electrofishing assessments will be conducted in September
Taylor Lake - trout population assessment Oct. 10-14.
 The information collected this year will be available in lake survey reports in the spring of 2012 on the DNR website www.mndnr.gov , or from the area fisheries office.   For more information, contact the Aitkin Fisheries Office at 218-927-3751, aitkin.fisheries@state.mn.us, or Minnesota DNR, Area Fisheries, 1200 Minnesota Ave., Aitkin, MN  56431.