Wilson

Nine trap nets and three gill net sets sampled the game-fish population in this small (68 acre), shallow (13 feet maximum depth) lake. This lake was assigned to lake class 37 for comparisons of catch rates. Lakes in lake class 37 have an average surface area of 69.9 acres, have a maximum depth of 13 feet, are moderately clear (Secchi disc=5.7 ft) and contain moderately hardwater with a mean alkalinity of 48.1 ppm. This assessment sampled black crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, and golden shiners in varying abundances and sizes. Black crappie were sampled in trap nets and gill nets at catch rates of 4.0 fish/trap net and 3.1 fish/gill net, respectively. These catch rates were within the expected range for lake class 37. Twenty-seven black crappie sampled in trap nets averaged 8.3 inches in length. Ageing of both gill net and trap net sampled fish, indicated that 78% of the catch consisted of three year classes; 21% from 1997 (age-4), 31% from 1999 (age 2), and 26% from 2000 (age-1). Growth rates of all age classes sampled were within 85%-115% of the statewide averages. Bluegill were sampled in trap nets at a rate of 2.3 fish/net which is below the expected range for the lake class. The mean length of bluegill sampled in trap nets was 7.4 inches and their mean weight was 0.37 lbs. Bluegill were not aged. Northern pike were sampled in gill nets at a rate of 5.3 fish/net which is similar to the lake class median of 5.0/net. The average weight of gill-net caught fish was 1.90 lbs and their mean length was 20.1 inches. The sample contained fish from ages 1-4, and age-6 with the 1997 (age-4) year class as the most abundant. The growth rates for each age class from 1-4 were within 85%-115% of the statewide averages. Yellow perch were also captured in both gear types at low catch rates, 2.3 fish/gill net and 2.6 fish/trap net, respectively. Size structure was poor with most fish between 6 and 7 inches in length. Golden shiners were sampled in gill nets at a high catch rate of 4.7 fish/net, but is within the expected range for this lake class. Bullheads which have been prevalent in previous assessments in 1981 and 1991, were not sampled during this assessment indicating that no winter kill has occurred since the past assessment.

FISH SPECIES COLLECTED DURING THIS ASSESSMENT ARE COMMON TO MOST MINNESOTA LAKES IN LAKE CLASS #37. NOP ARE THE MAIN PREDATORS WHILE THE OTHER FISH SPECIES INCLUDE BLGS, BLC, GOS, YEP, AND BLHS. THIS WAS THE FIRST NETTING ASSESSMENT TO COLLECT LMB WHICH MAY PROVIDE ANOTHER PREDATOR SPECIES TO THE FUTURE FISH COMMUNITY. THE PRESENT GILL NET AND TRAP NET CATCH INDICES (CPUE'S) FOR EACH SPECIES WERE COMPARED TO THE MEANS AND QUARTILE RANGES FOR ALL MINNESOTA'S LAKES IN LAKE CLASS #37. THE CATCH INDICES FOR ALL SPECIES EXCEPT NOP AND BRB FELL BETWEEN THE 1ST AND 3RD QUARTILE RANGES WHICH INDICATE NORMAL POPULATION LEVELS. THE NOP CPUE(1.0 FISH/GILL NET) FELL BELOW THE 1ST QUARTILE AND INDICATES A LOW POPULATION WHILE THE BRB CPUE (25.0 FISH/GILL NET) FELL ABOVE THE 3RD QUARTILE RANGE INDICATING A HIGH POPULATION. THE RECENT WINTERKILL DURING 1989-90 MAY BE THE CAUSE OF THE LOW NOP ABUNDANCE AS THE 1981 NETTING ASSESSMENT REPORTED 7.0 FISH/GILL NET. BLH ABUNDANCE APPEARS TO HAVE INCREASED IN THE LAST DECADE WHILE THE SIZE STRUCTURE HAS SHIFTED TO SMALLER FISH. THE GILL NET CPUE FOR BOTH BLH SPECIES COMBINED HAS INCREASED 82% FROM THE PREVIOUS 1981 ASSESSMENT WHILE THE NUMBER OF FISH GREATER THAN 7.0 INCHES DECREASED FROM 57% TO 3% OF TOTAL CATCH FOR RESPECTIVE STUDIES. BLG, BLC, AND YEP ABUNDANCES APPEAR TO HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE 1981 NETTING ASSESSMENT. YEP GILL NET CPUE INCREASED FROM 1.0 TO 20.0 FISH/ NET, BLG TRAP NET CPUE INCREASED FROM 0 TO 17.5 FISH/NET, AND BLC CPUE'S HAVE INCREASED 300% FOR TRAP NETS AND 500% FOR GILL NETS. THESE TRENDS MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE 1989-90 WINTER- KILL AND SUBSEQUENT LOW NOP ABUNDANCE. THE POPULATIONS BLG AND BLC CONSISTED MAINLY OF SMALLER SIZED YOUNG FISH. BLG PSD=10; BLC PSD=21. THE DOMINANT BLG YEAR CLASS WAS 1990 WHICH COINCIDES WITH THE FIRST GROWING SEASON AFTER THE LAST WINTERKILL. THE BLC DOMINANT YEAR CLASS WAS 1989 WHICH SUGGESTS THAT YOY BLC HAD A HIGH SURVIVAL DURING THE 1989-90 WINTERKILL. THESE TWO PANFISH SPECIES SHOULD PROVIDE A GOOD FISHERY IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS IF NO WINTERKILL CONDITIONS DEVELOPE. ALTHOUGH NO YEP WEER AGED THE LENGTH- FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION INDICATES A POPULATION OF 7.0-10.0 INCH FISH WHICH ARE PROBABLY IN THE RANGE OF 3-5 YEAR OLD FISH. ASSUMING THIS AGE DISTRIBUTION, IT WOULD INDICATE THAT YEP SURVIVED THE PREVIOUS WINTERKILL.

Based upon the available net catches it appears that there are many Perch and Bullheads in the lake. The netting effort appears too meager to determine the status of gamefish species.

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

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

Wilson has a maximum depth of 13 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Wilson is from 2001. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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