Rockstad

Rockstad Lake is a 128-acre lake with a maximum depth of 18 feet located near the town of Zerkel in southern Clearwater County. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different lake classes based on physical characteristics, water chemistry and fish community. Rockstad is grouped in Lake Class 39. Lakes in this class are typically round, shallow lakes with lots of aquatic vegetation and good productivity. Other Bemidji-area Class 39 lakes include Irving, Three Island, Island, Minerva, and Pine. Rockstad Lake is managed as a periodic winterkill lake, and the fish community present depends on the severity and proximity of the most recent winterkill event. Winterkill lakes are very resilient and can become re-populated with fish within a few years after a winterkill has occurred. Fish can grow very rapidly in these situations and provide quality angling in a brief timeframe as well. Rockstad Lake is managed for Bluegill, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, and Northern Pike. The 2014 assessment found good numbers and sizes of Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie and Northern Pike. The Bluegill catch rate of 4.2/trap net was typcial for Lake Class 39 lakes. Bluegill had an average size of 8.25 inches in length and 0.53 lbs/fish, which is above average for Lake Class 39 lakes. Growth rates for Bluegill were well above the average growth seen in similar lakes. Given an absence of winterkill conditions, this Bluegill population will provide some quality fishing in 2015 and beyond. Largemouth Bass were captured at rates well above the normal range for similar lakes in both trap nets and gill nets, indicating an abundant bass population. Bass up to 14.76 inches in length were captured with an average size of 13.65 inches and 1.52 lbs/fish. Most of the Largemouth Bass captured were from the same year class (age-3). As with Bluegill, growth rates for Largemouth Bass in Rockstad Lake were faster than growth rates for similar lakes. These fish should continue to grow rapidly and should reproduce in 2015. Black Crappie were caught at a rate of 4/gill net which is above the median catch rate for this lake class (2.5/gill net). However, the Black Crappie catch was dominated by young fish that had an average size of 5.68 inches in length. Growth rates for Black Crappie were well above average, and these fish should provide good angling opportunities within the next few years barring a winterkill. The Northern Pike catch rate of 12.5/gill net was above the normal range for this lake class (4.63/gill net to 11.63/gill net). Pike had an average size of 21.95 inches in length and 2.29 lbs/fish, with fish up to 31.38 inches in length captured. Other species captured in the 2014 assessment include Black and Brown Bullhead, Pumpkinseed, Hybrid Sunfish, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch.

FISH POPULATION IS DOMINATED BY YELLOW PERCH WITH A LESSER NUMBERS OF BLACK BULLHEADS AND WHITE SUCKERS. NORTHERN PIKE, WALLEYE, CREEK CHUBS AND PUMPKINSEED APPEAR PRESENT IN VERY LOW NUMBERS. GILLNET CATCHES OF YELLOW PERCH, BLACK BULLHEAD AND WHITE SUCKER WERE WELL ABOVE STATE AND LOCAL MEDIANS. NATURAL REPRODUCTION OF YELLOW PERCH APPEARED LIMITED BUT EVIDENCE MAY HAVE BEEN MASKED BY THE LARGE NUMBERS OF BULLHEADS IN THE 1/4 INCH TRAPNETS.

THERE APPEARS TO BE A GOOD SURVIVAL OF THE 1982 WALLEYE STOCKING (100,000) FRY AND YELLOW PERCH AND BULLHEAD NUMBERS ARE SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN THE 1983 SURVEY. WHITE SUCKER NUMBERS SHOW A SLIGHT INCREASE SINCE 1983. BLUEGILL ARE PRESENT BUT IN RELATIVELY LOW NUMBERS.

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

Rockstad has a maximum depth of 18 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Rockstad is from 2014. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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