Neander

Neander Lake is a 52-acre basin located in Chisago County that has been assigned to lake class 40. The lake is managed primarily for northern pike and secondarily for largemouth bass, bluegill sunfish, and black crappie. There is no established public water access. The lakeshore is lightly developed with only four dwellings. Fishing pressure is light during the open water season but can be moderate in the winter. Water clarity is limited due to algae levels. Shoreline substrates are predominately sand, silt and detritus. During the survey coontail was the most prevalent vegetation but lake residents report dense growths of curled pondweed earlier in the summer. Although a fairly substantial winter kill occurred in the late winter of 2008, a standard lake survey was conducted during the week of August 18, 2008 to evaluate the current status of the fish population, the physical, chemical, and biological factors concerning habitat, and the water quality. One gill net was set but sampled only black bullheads. Despite available oxygen to eleven feet, all other species appeared to be oriented to the shore. Based on trap net catch, black crappie and common carp were the only species to show an increase in abundance compared to previous survey. Black crappie are more tolerant of low oxygen levels than many gamefish species. Crappie numbers and weight were normal compared to similar lakes. More than half the measured crappies were over 8 inches in length with some exceeding 11 inches. Bluegill abundance was also typical of the lake class, but lower than the 1998 sample. Bluegill size structure was pretty good with nearly one third of the catch 7 inches or longer and a 6.4-inch average. Hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed sunfish, white sucker, and yellow perch were also present in the trap net catch but all were lower in abundance than in the 1998 catch. These decreases are likely attributed to the 2008 winter kill.

Neander Lake is a 52 acre lake located in Chisago County that has been assigned to lake class 40. The lake is managed for northern pike primarily with largemouth bass, bluegill sunfish, and black crappie as the secondary species.A standard lake survey was conducted during the week of August 11, 1998 to evaluate the current status of the fish population, the physical, chemical, and biological factors concerning habitat, and the water quality. Evaluation of the fish population utilized spring night electrofishing, two gill nets, six trap nets, and three shoreline seine hauls. The selected gear types were chosen based on guidelines obtained from the MN DNR Manual of Instructions for Lake Survey. Habitat and water quality data were also collected based on guidelines from this manual.Northern pike numbers were found to be above normal for lakes of this type, while the average weight, at 2.2 pounds, was within a normal range. Based on previous surveys, the 1998 catch rate was the highest ever recorded, but the average weight was down from historical average weights of 3.9 and 3.6 pounds determined in 1988 and 1961, respectively. Captured northern pike ranged in length from 15.3 to 28.0 inches with an averege length of 21.2 inches. Of the 37 fish sampled 62% were at ages 2 and 3. Growth was determined to be normal at all ages when compared to statewide averages.Spring night electrofishing was utilized to evaluate the largemouth bass population in Neander Lake for the first time on June 7, 1998. The entire shoreline was electrofished when the surface water temperature was at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. A catch rate of 7.3 fish/hour was calculated along with an average weight of 1.2 pounds. Currently, catch rate averages for this gear type by lake class have not been formally developed, so comparisons were not made. Total lengths extended from 5.2 to 16.8 inches with an average length of 10.9 inches. Neander Lake largemouth bass growth was within a normal range when compared to statewide averages.Bluegill sunfish numbers and the average weight were determined to be at normal levels for this type of lake. When compared to previous surveys the catch and average weight were down. Total lengths extended from 3.0 to 8.3 inches with an average length of 4.5 inches. Bluegill growth was determined to be typical of normal.The abundance of black crappie along with the average weight were found to be within a normal range. Measured black crappie ranged from 5.3 to 11.0 inches with an average length of 7.4 inches. When compared to statewide averages, crappie growth was representative of normal.Yellow perch numbers and the average weight both fell below normal levels for this lake class. According to historical records, numbers of yellow perch have always been low. Total lengths ranged from 5.9 to 6.4 inches.On August 14, 1998, three shoreline seine hauls were utilized for sampling reproductive success. Black crappie, bluegill sunfish, and largemouth bass all showed good reproductive success while northern pike and yellow perch showed some natural reproduction.The fish species composition in Neander Lake also included black bullhead, common carp, golden shiner, hybrid and pumpkinseed sunfish, tadpole madtom, yellow bullhead, white sucker and two minnow species (blacknose and emerald shiner). Golden shiner, white sucker, pumpkinseed sunfish, and yellow bullhead were all found within a normal range while black bullhead numbers exceeded the normal level for this type of lake. Moreover, carp were found in low numbers.

IN EARLY AUGUST 1988 A LAKE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED ON NEANDER LAKE. TWO GILLNETS AND FOUR TRAPNETS WERE SET TO OBTAIN DATA OF THE PRESENT FISH POPU- LATION. SHORELINE SEINING EFFORTS WERE CONDUCTED IN MID-AUGUST TO EVALUATE NATURAL REPRODUCTION IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LAKE SURVEY. BASED ON RESPECTIVE LOCAL MEDIANS THE PRESENT FISH POPULATION IS AS FOLLOWS: THE NORTHERN PIKE NET CATCH WAS UP FROM THE PREVIOUS SURVEY NET CATCH, SET. THIS CATCH WAS AN INCREASE TO A LEVEL ABOVE THE LOCAL MEDIAN CATCH. THE LENGTH FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION RANGED FROM 20.0 TO 33.9 INCHES WITH A MEDIAN LENGTH GROUP OF 26.0 - 26.9 INCHES. MEAN WEIGHT WAS 3.91 PDS. ELEVEN NORTHERN PIKE WERE FROM AGE IV TO IX YEARS. THEIR GROWTH RATES EX- PRESSED NORMAL GROWTH WHEN RELATED TO STATEWIDE AVERAGE GROWTH RATES. THE YELLOW PERCH WAS NOT SAMPLED IN THE GILLNETS AND ONLY ONE WAS CAPTURED IN THE TRAPNETS. SHORE- LINE SEINING EFFORTS IN 1988 RECORDED FIVE YOUNG- OF-YEAR IN THE 0.32 ACRE AREA SEINED. THE 1961 SURVEY NET CATCHES WERE CONSIDERED LOW, WITH RE- SPECT TO LOCAL MEDIAN CATCHES. THE LARGEMOUTH BASS NET CATCH WAS UP FROM THE PREVIOUS SURVEY AND ABOVE THE LOCAL MEDIAN CATCH. AGE GROUPS REPRESENTED EXPRESSED NORMAL GROWTH WHEN RELATED TO STATEWIDE AVERAGE GROWTH RATES. SHORELINE SEINING EFFORTS RECORDED TWENTY-ONE YOUNG-OF-YEAR LARGEMOUTH BASS. THE BLUEGILL SUNFISH NET CATCH WAS DOWN FROM THE PREVIOUS SURVEY BUT REMAINS WELL ABOVE THE LOCAL MEDIAN CATCH. THE LENGTH FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION RANGED FROM 3.5 - 7.9 INCHES WITH A MEDIAN LENGTH GROUP OF 6.5 - 6.9 INCHES. THIS WAS THE SAME LENGTH GROUP AS THE PREVIOUS SURVEY. THE MEAN WEIGHT WAS 0.23 PDS. THIRTY-NINE BLUEGILL SUNFISH WERE AGED, WHICH REPRESENTED A GOOD AGE DISTRIBU- TION, RANGING FROM I TO VIII YEARS. THESE FISH GREW AT RATES SIMILAR TO STATEWIDE AVERAGE GROWTH RATES; HOWEVER, IT WAS ON THE SLOWER SIDE OF YOUNG OF-YEAR BLUEGILL SUNFISH. THE BLACK CRAPPIE NET CATCH WAS DOWN FROM THE PREVIOUS SURVEY BUT ABOVE THE LOCAL MEDIAN CATCH. THE GILLNET CATCH INCREASED FROM THE PREVIOUS SURVEY. THE LENGTH FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION, FROM BOTH NET CATCHES, RANGED FROM 5.0 TO 9.4 INCHES WITH A MEDIAN LENGTH GROUP 6.5 - 6.9 INCHES. MEAN WEIGHT WAS 0.15 POUNDS. AGE GROUPS REPRESENTED EXPRESSED GROWTH SLOWER THAN NORMAL WHEN RELATED TO STATEWIDE AVERAGE GROWTH RATES. BLACK CRAPPIE WERE NOT RECORDED IN THE SHORELINE SEINING EFFORTS EIGHT OTHER SPECIES WERE SAMPLED BY THE TEST NETS (BOWFIN, GOLDEN SHINER, WHITE SUCKER, BLACK BULLHEAD, YELLOW BULLHEAD, BROWN BULLHEAD, HYBRID SUNFISH, AND PUMPKINSEED SUNFISH); ALL WERE BELOW THEIR RESPECTIVE LOCAL MEDIAN NET CATCHES. IN NON-INDICE TEST NET GEAR, TWO SPECIES (BOWIN AND WHITE SUCKER) HAD NET CATCHES ABOVE THEIR LOCAL MEDIANS. THE BOWFIN GILLNET NET CATCH WAS ABOVE THE LOCAL MEDIAN CATCH AND THE WHITE SUCKER TRAP- NET CATCH WAS ABOVE THE LOCAL MEDIAN CATCH.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Black Crappie, Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, and Yellow Perch in Neander. 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 Neander. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Neander has a maximum depth of 17 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Neander is from 2008. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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