Howard

Howard Lake is a 365-acre lake with a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake is located seven miles northeast of Akeley, Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different lake classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Howard Lake is in lake class 25. Waters in this class are typically deep, clear, hardwater lakes with irregular shorelines. Other area lakes in the same lake class include: Blackwater, Long (near Longville), and Inguadona. Approximately 25% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. There is no developed public access on Howard Lake. Howard Lake provides fishing for northern pike, walleye, bluegill, black crappie, and largemouth bass. The lake is managed primarily for northern pike, largemouth bass, and black crappie. The 2001 survey of Howard Lake showed an abundant population of northern pike. The average size northern pike sampled during the survey was about 19 inches, however several fish over 30 inches were captured. Many different year classes of northern pike were found, indicating good natural reproduction in Howard Lake. Few yellow perch were found during the survey, however it is likely that the northern pike are relying upon tullibee (cisco) as an important food source. Walleye were not abundant during the 2001 survey, however those captured were large, ranging from 20 to 29 inches. A limited amount of walleye natural reproduction occurs in this lake. Bluegill were abundant. Most were small, though fish up to 8 inches were found during the 2001 survey. Pumpkinseed sunfish were also found in Howard Lake, and fish up to 7 inches were sampled. Howard Lake had a good population of largemouth bass, and DNR personnel sampled bass from 5 to 15 inches long. Black crappie were present, and fish up to 11 inches were sampled. Other fish that make up the fish community of Howard Lake include bullheads, rock bass and white sucker. Shoreline areas - on the land and into the shallow water - provide essential habitat for fish and wildlife that live in or near Minnesota's lakes. Overdeveloped shorelines can't support the fish, wildlife, and clean water that are associated with natural undeveloped lakes. The combined effects of all lakeshore owners "fixing up" their property can destroy a lake's valuable natural shorelines. Shoreline habitat consists of aquatic plants, woody plants and natural lake bottom soils. Plants in the water and at the water's edge provide habitat, prevent erosion and absorb excess nutrients. Shrubs, trees, and woody debris such as fallen trees or limbs provide good habitat both above and below the water and should be left in place. Natural lake bottom materials like silt or gravel are more ecologically productive than pure sand trucked in for a swimming beach. A tidy lawn and a sandy beach make great spots for sunbathing and swimming but do little to provide habitat for fish and wildlife. By leaving a buffer strip of natural vegetation along the shoreline, property owners can reduce erosion, help maintain water quality, and provide habitat and travel corridors for wildlife. Lakeshore owners need to manage their shoreline in a natural condition if fish and wildlife populations on Minnesota lakes are to remain healthy and abundant. More specific information on protecting or restoring shorelines and watersheds is available through MN DNR Fisheries offices. Anglers can help maintain or improve the quality of fishing by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest allows for the harvest of smaller fish for table fare, but encourages release of medium- to large-size fish. Releasing these fish can help maintain balance in the fish community in Howard Lake and provide anglers with opportunities to catch more and larger fish in the future.

The last four assessments have had very consistent northern pike gillnet CPUE's (6.17-7.11), which were between the median (5.50) and the third quartile value (8.50) for lake class 25. All year classes from 1984 to 1991 were represented in the 1992 catch, indicating consistent natural reproduction. These fish ranged in length from 8.0-33.9, with a modal length group of 17.0-17.9 inches. PSD and RSD-P values were 47 and 15, indicating an excellent size distribution. Growth was slow the first year for both sexes, but good for all years after. An age five female northern pike was 25.2 inches long, as compared to a male northern pike of the same age being 24.0 inches long.The walleye gillnet CPUE of 1.4 was the highest recorded but is still only equal to the first quartile (1.17) for this lake class. Walleye fingerling stocking in 1987 and 1989 has done little to bolster the walleye population. Over 75 percent of the walleye sampled are the result of natural reproduction. The remaining walleye are from stocking and/or natural reproduction. Fish caught ranged in length from 14.0-25.9 inches, with a mean weight of 2.2 pounds. All walleye were age four and older. PSD (92) and RSD-P (15) values were obviously high in this older population. Growth was good, with an age five walleye being 17.7 inches long as compared to other area lakes in the same lake class (17.4 inches).Bluegill were caught at a rate of 29.1/trapnet lift which was up from 1987 (17.8), but below the historical mean of 49.3. The median value for this lake class is 22.38. Fish were generally small (modal length = 5.0-5.4), but comparable to what has been caught in the past. The PSD and RSD-7 values were 18 and 7 respectively. Growth was slow compared to other area lake class 25 lakes. The bluegill were an inch shorter at age five (4.2 inches) compared to other lakes (5.1 inches).Good samples of black crappie (72) and largemouth bass (89) were taken night electrofishing. Catch rates were 92.1/hour for largemouth bass and 75.0/hour for black crappie. Black crappie had a wide range of lengths (6.0-12.9 inches), exhibiting numerous year classes. Growth was typical of other area lakes in the same lake class, where an age five fish averages 9.5 inches in length. PSD (92) amd RSD-P (22) values were high, indicating a quality population. Largemouth bass also had a wide range of lengths (5.5-16.9 inches), expressing many year classes. The sample was dominated by small fish - PSD=30 and RSD-P=1. The strongest year class was 1988 (52 percent of sample) and averaged 10.6 inches in length, which was typical for growth of other area lakes in the same lake class.An excellent sample of cisco (14.4/gillnet lift) was taken. The historical mean gillnet CPUE for cisco is 17.4 and is above the third quartil value (8.50) for this lake class. Cisco is an excellent forage fish with 69 percent of the sample under 12 inches. Yellow perch (0.11 gillnet CPUE) were caught in low numbers and are below the first quartile value for this lake class.Muskellunge haven't been stocked in the lake since 1981 (Shoepac strain) and were not sampled in the 1992 assessment. However, there are reports that anglers are still catching some fish. Numbers of this species are probably low since the shoepac strain is a short-lived fish and only 405 yearlings were stocked in 1980 and 1981.

THE NORTHERN PIKE GILLNET CATCH RATES HAD LITTLE VARIATION FROM THE 1975 AND 1981 SURVEYS, RANGING FROM 6.17 TO 7.0. FEW NORTHERNS WERE TAKEN IN THE 1953 SURVEY. FROM 1975 TO 1987 NORTHERN AVERAGE WEIGHTS WERE CONSISTENT - FROM 2.26 TO 2.28 LBS/ FISH. NORTHERN PIKE GROWTH RATES WERE GOOD WITH ADEQUATE NATURAL REPRODUCTION. THE LAST 7 YEAR CLASSES WERE REPRESENTED WITH NO STOCKING. TULLI- BEE CATCH RATES HAVE DECREASED FROM 1975 RATES WITH AVERAGE WEIGHT/FISH REMAINING THE SAME. BLUEGILL POPULATIONS HAVE BEEN EXCELLENT IN PAST SURVEYS. 1987 SURVEY SHOWING A RELATIVELY LOW POPULATION OF BLUEGILL IS NOT A GOOD INDICATOR OF THE BLUEGILL POPULATION. MANY BLUEGILL WERE SEEN BUT DID NOT TRAP WELL FOR SOME REASON, BLUE- GILLS IN HOWARD SEEM TO GROW SLOWLY. MUEKELLUNGE (SHOEPAC STRAIN) WERE STOCKED ANNUALLY FROM 1971-81 (EXCEPT FOR 1977). YELLOW PERCH POPULATIONS HAVE BEEN LOW IN THIS AND PREVIOUS SURVEYS. HIGHEST CATCHES WERE IN 1953 (14.0/NET). WALLEYE GILLNET CATCHES ARE LOW AND REPRODUCTION IS POOR. THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE EVIDENCE THAT FRY STOCKING HAS CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE WALLEYE POPULATION DURING THE 1970'S AND 1980'S. IN THE 1981 SURVEYS, WHEN WALLEYE FROM THE 1977 FRY STOCKING SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT AS 4-YEAR OLDS, ONLY THREE WALLEYE (AGES 5,6 AND 7) WERE TAKEN. HOWEVER, IN THE 1975 ASSESSMENT, JUST TWO WALLEYE WERE CAUGHT, BUT BOTH WERE HATCHED IN 1972 A YEAR WHEN 400,000 FRY WERE STOCKED IN HOWARD. SUCCESS OF THE 1987 WALLEYE FINGERLING STOCKING WILL HAVE TO BE EVALUATED IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. LARGEMOUTH BASS NETTED IN HOWARD RANGED IN LENGTH FROM 4 TO 14 INCHES.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Walleye, Rock Bass, Muskellunge, and Largemouth Bass in Howard. 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 Howard. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Howard has a maximum depth of 60 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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