Rossman

Rossman (Erickson) Lake has a tendency to partially winterkill during some winters. Algal blooms and lowwater clarity often make mid-summer angling difficult. Fish populations are somewhat indicative of a winterkilllake with high populations of black bullhead, northern pike, and bluegill. Northern pike tend to be somewhatsmall; average length is just 18.5". Bluegill, on the other hand, are relatively large in size. Over 60% of themare longer than six inches and nearly 10% are over eight inches long. Black crappie, yellow perch, and largemouthbass are all present in low to normal abundance and average size. Carp numbers seem to have leveled off duringthe past 10 years. The large carp now present (average weight is nearly 7 lbs.) may be less harmful to the lakethan an abundance of smaller ones. Walleye probably succumbed to winterkill during 1993 since none were caughtin test nets.

Rossman is a moderately-small, shallow hard-water lake. It has a history of periodic winterkills.An inlet from Bergerson Lake is present along the east shore and an outlet to Upper Cormorant Lake is present on the southeast shore.The lake level has been continuously rising since 1941 and is presently at its highest normal level in history.Shoal water soils of the lake consist of about 60% mud and 40% sand.Emergent aquatic vegetation (mostly cattail and bulrush) was moderately abundant along the shoreline. Submerged vegetation was abundant to a maximum depth of 15 feet throughout most of the lake.The greenish color of the lake water was caused primarily by an algal bloom.Test netting during the survey indicated the presence of above average northern pike, bullhead, largemouth bass, and sunfish populations. The catch of bluegills was especially high.Spawning conditions were considered to be good for largemouth bass and panfish, and fair to poor for the other gamefish species present.Local residents reported that fishing in general has been quite good over the years. The lake reportedly has received only light fishing pressure over the years.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Hybrid Sunfish, and Bluegill in Rossman. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Rossman. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Rossman has a maximum depth of 20 feet and a mean depth of 8 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Rossman is from 1993. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

No invasive species are on record for Rossman in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.