Mayhew

Mayhew Lake is a small, 128-acre lake located about 12 miles northeast of St. Cloud. It's a popular winter fishery for crappies and Rainbow Trout which are stocked as catchable size fish on an annual basis. Mayhew's close proximity to St. Cloud makes it a good choice for quick day trips in any season. Walleyes and crappies are the species of most management importance at this time. This survey used gill nets to sample Walleye, Northern Pike and Yellow Perch and trap nets to sample Black Crappies and Bluegills. Water quality is poor in Mayhew Lake and there have been times in the past where the lake has winterkilled. Black Crappie are a species that can do very well in lakes that winterkill on occasion. Trap nets in this survey caught a total of 155 crappies, average length was 8.4 inches and maximum length was 10.1 inches. Crappies generally run little on the small side in Mayhew Lake but they can often provide a hot bite during the winter. Bluegills were also caught in trap nets and individual sizes usually run from 6-8 inches. Thirteen Walleyes were captured, the majority measured between 12 and 15 inches. Fingerlings are stocked every other year. Walleyes grow fairly fast in Mayhew Lake, 3-year old fish have ranged from 14-19 inches. Northern Pike were common in gill nets, over half those caught exceeded 24 inches. The largest pike caught was 36.6 inches. Yellow Perch are an important prey species and provide food for pike and Walleye. The number of perch increased in our sampling during this survey compared to the last survey which is good to see. Individual perch measured ranged from 5.8-8.5 inches. As mentioned, catchable-size Rainbow Trout are stocked every fall when available and anglers are encouraged to harvest them. Check the Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet for seasons and bag limits. Often times anglers will report catching trout while fishing crappies on Mayhew. Anglers who choose to keep trout must have a valid trout stamp in their possession. Other species caught during this survey were Black Bullheads. As mentioned, water quality is poor in Mayhew Lake and species like Black Bullheads can flourish in such lakes. Since the last survey in 2016, Black Bullheads have more than tripled in number. The vast majority measured less than 7 inches and while they do not provide any angling value, they can provide an ample prey source for Walleyes and Northern Pike. White Sucker and Yellow Bullhead were two other species commonly caught.

Mayhew Lake (DOW# 05-0007-00; Lake Class 34) is a 128 acre lake located near Mayhew, Minnesota. A county owned concrete boat ramp is located on the southwest Shore. Mayhew Lake has 3.02 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 20 feet. DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Mayhew Lake is in Lake Class 34; lakes in this class generally have a high amount of water less than 15 feet deep, are turbid, and are very irregular in shape. Mayhew Lake had a partial winterkill in 2010-2011 which has limited fishing opportunities in recent years. However recent successful Walleye stockings has produced a strong Walleye population that is dominated by 14-16 inch fish perfect for angler looking to take home a meal. In addition Northern Pike numbers were good with plenty of fish between 20-22 inches for harvesting and also a few up to 35 inches for those anglers looking for a trophy. Bluegill and Largemouth Bass were also stocked following the winterkill although their numbers remain low at this time. Reproduction of these species has not been evaluated. Other fish species that anglers can expect to encounter include Black Bullhead, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Hybrid Sunfish, Green Sunfish, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, White Sucker, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch. People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Curly Leaf Pondweed has been identified in Mayhew Lake. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. 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 access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Little Falls Area Fisheries office.

Fall night electrofishing was conducted on Mayhew Lake in early September of 2014 to evaluate success of spring Walleye fry stocking as well as composition of the fish community. Mayhew Lake experienced a significant winterkill in 2012 - 2103 due to deep snow, opaque ice, and extended cold weather. Daytime electrofishing in the spring of 2013 confirmed declines in the numbers of Black Crappie and Common Carp which were two of the most abundant species in the lake. No Walleye, Largemouth Bass, or Bluegill were observed during the 2013 electrofishing which suggested they may have been eliminated from the lake. Other fish species observed at the time included White Sucker, Yellow Perch, and Northern Pike. Walleye fry were stocked in the spring of 2013 and fall electrofishing used to evaluate survival and growth of young Walleye. The sampling effort provided a catch rate of 67/hour (n=72) with the young of year Walleye ranging from 3.8 to 9.2 inches in length. One observation from the sampling effort was that some smaller young of year Walleye may have been overlooked due to the abundance of young of year Yellow Perch. The 2013 fall electrofishing was also used to provide more recent fish community data and assess abundance and recruitment of all fish species present. Several fish species appeared to respond favorably to the lower density of predator species and interspecific competition. Young of year perch and White Sucker were especially abundant. Young of year Northern Pike were also quite numerous and appeared to have grown rapidly over the summer with the abundant prey base. More adult Common Carp were observed than desired but few young of year carp. Fewer Black Crappie than expected were observed, young of year or adults. The management plan for Mayhew Lake was to again stock Walleye fry in spring of 2014 followed by fingerlings if poor fry survival was evident. Only two young of year Walleye were sampled in the 2014 fall electrofishing assessment. While historically poor water clarity may have hindered Walleye fingerling identification, plenty of young of year Yellow Perch and White Sucker were observed. Also present were numerous young of year Northern Pike and an abundance of yearling Northern Pike. Contrary to 2013 electrofishing results, Black Crappie, mostly yearlings, were abundant in the 2014 electrofishing assessment. Due to the low number of young of year Walleye observed and netted in the 2014 fall night electrofishing effort, Walleye fingerlings were stocked in Mayhew Lake later in the fall. Evaluation of the Walleye population may not occur for several years until the fish are old enough to be vulnerable to gill nets. A reintroduction stocking of adult Largemouth Bass and Bluegill was also done in the fall of 2014.

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

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

Mayhew has a maximum depth of 20 feet and a mean depth of 11.5 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Mayhew is from 2022.

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