Bootleg

Beltrami County

Near Wilton (Beltrami)

DOW: 04021100

Yellow PerchExcellent · 81PumpkinseedExcellent · 75Black CrappieGood · 65

A 332-acre lake near Wilton (Beltrami) in Beltrami County — best known for panfish and pike. Last surveyed 1989.

Fish Species (11)

Yellow Perch

Excellent · 81

Typical numbers · large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Jun 1989

Last surveyed 1989 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.30 lbs

Catch rate: 27.3 per gill net · typical 3.7–28.4 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 27, 1989	4.43	-	0.35 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jun 27, 1989	27.33	-	0.30 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 30, 1983	5.83	-	0.44 lbs	Standard trap nets

Pumpkinseed

Excellent · 75

Typical numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1989

Last surveyed 1989 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.33 lbs

Catch rate: 5.0 per trap net · typical 1.5–9.1 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 27, 1989	5.00	-	0.33 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 30, 1983	1.33	-	0.13 lbs	Standard trap nets

Black Crappie

Good · 65

Typical numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1989

Last surveyed 1989 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.66 lbs

Catch rate: 2.0 per trap net · typical 0.9–8 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 27, 1989	2.00	-	0.66 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 30, 1983	0.17	-	1.10 lbs	Standard trap nets

Bluegill

Good · 59

Below-normal numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1989

Last surveyed 1989 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.81 lbs

Catch rate: 1.6 per trap net · typical 5.9–43.3 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 27, 1989	1.57	-	0.81 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 30, 1983	1.00	-	0.07 lbs	Standard trap nets

Northern Pike

Good · 57

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Jun 1989

Last surveyed 1989 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

1.82 lbs

Catch rate: 8.7 per gill net · typical 2.3–9.2 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 27, 1989	8.67	-	1.82 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 27, 1989	2.57	-	1.28 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 30, 1983	5.50	-	1.12 lbs	Standard gill nets

Rock Bass

Average · 29

Below-normal numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1989

Last surveyed 1989 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.20 lbs

Catch rate: 0.14 per trap net · typical 0.3–1 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 27, 1989	0.14	-	0.20 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 30, 1983	0.17	-	0.30 lbs	Standard trap nets

Walleye

Average · 27

Below-normal numbers · small fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1983

Last surveyed 1983 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.80 lbs

Catch rate: 0.75 per gill net · typical 1.2–5.3 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 30, 1983	0.75	-	0.80 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 30, 1983	0.17	-	1.00 lbs	Standard trap nets

Other species in this lake (4)

Rough fish, bullheads, and baitfish recorded in DNR surveys — present in the lake, but not typical angling targets.

Black Bullhead

Good · 73

Above-normal numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1989

Last surveyed 1989 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.16 lbs

Catch rate: 273.6 per trap net · typical 1–29.9 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 27, 1989	76.00	-	0.17 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 27, 1989	273.57	-	0.16 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 30, 1983	37.67	-	0.23 lbs	Standard trap nets

Brown Bullhead

Good · 67

Above-normal numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1989

Last surveyed 1989 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.18 lbs

Catch rate: 21.9 per trap net · typical 0.6–5.2 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 27, 1989	12.67	-	0.34 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 27, 1989	21.86	-	0.18 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 30, 1983	12.83	-	0.44 lbs	Standard trap nets

White Sucker

Good · 65

Above-normal numbers · average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Jun 1989

Last surveyed 1989 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

1.84 lbs

Catch rate: 3.3 per gill net · typical 0.5–3.3 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 27, 1989	3.33	-	1.84 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 30, 1983	3.25	-	2.32 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 30, 1983	0.67	-	2.06 lbs	Standard trap nets

Yellow Bullhead

Good · 56

Above-normal numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1989

Last surveyed 1989 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.17 lbs

Catch rate: 12.3 per trap net · typical 2.4–9.1 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 27, 1989	12.29	-	0.17 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 30, 1983	0.25	-	0.30 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 30, 1983	14.83	-	0.30 lbs	Standard trap nets

Biologist Notes

June 27, 1989HIGH BULLHEAD POPULATION THOUGH MOST FISH ARE TOO SMALL FOR COMMERCIAL HARVEST. NORTHERN PIKE POPULATION REMAINS HIGH. NICE BLUEGILL AND CRAPPIE BUT N…

HIGH BULLHEAD POPULATION THOUGH MOST FISH ARE TOO SMALL FOR COMMERCIAL HARVEST. NORTHERN PIKE POPULATION REMAINS HIGH. NICE BLUEGILL AND CRAPPIE BUT NUMBERS ARE FAIRLY LOW. MOST PERCH ARE TOO SMALL AND

August 30, 1983NORTHERN PIKE CAPTURES WERE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE LOCAL AVERAGES WHILE THE PERCH AND WALLEYE CATCH RATES WERE LOW. THREE SPECIES OF BULLHEADS DOMIN- ATE…

NORTHERN PIKE CAPTURES WERE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE LOCAL AVERAGES WHILE THE PERCH AND WALLEYE CATCH RATES WERE LOW. THREE SPECIES OF BULLHEADS DOMIN- ATE THE FISHERY FAR ABOVE THE STATE AND LOCAL MEAN RATE IN NUMBERS AND WEIGHT. PANFISH AND BASS ARE PRESENT BUT CONTRIBUTE PRACTIALLY NOTHING TO ANGLING.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish can you catch in Bootleg?

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseed, Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Northern Pike in Bootleg. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Is there public access at Bootleg?

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Bootleg. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

How deep is Bootleg?

Bootleg has a maximum depth of 30 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

When were the main sport fish in Bootleg last surveyed?

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Bootleg is from 1989. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.