Dyers

Dyers Lake is located about four miles west of Schroeder and has an area of 69 acres with a maximum depth of 23 feet. There is a public access with a gravel boat ramp and dock at the end of Cook County 30 (Dyers Lake Road) south from Cook County 1. A targeted survey was completed in the spring of 2021 to monitor the Bluegill and Black Crappie populations. Both species were introduced into the lake about twenty years ago and have since established self-sustaining populations. There is a special regulation on the lake which reduces the sunfish daily limit to 5 and the daily limit of crappie to 5 fish. The regulation was placed on the lake in 2006 with the purpose to protect the newly established populations from overharvest. Bluegill catch of 36.2 per trap net was significantly higher than previous surveys of the lake. Size ranged from 3.0 to 8.5 inches with an average length of 6.1 inches. The maximum length of Bluegill caught and the proportion of fish longer than 8 inches were both the lowest to date. Future surveys will continue to monitor the status of the population to determine if harvest levels are contributing to the poorer size structure. The 2021 Black Crappie catch of 16.58 per trap net was lower than the previous survey, but above the normal range for similar lakes. The average length of crappie was 6.7 inches and fish up to 12 inches were sampled, although only 2% of the catch was longer than 10 inches. Age analysis determined several year classes of both Bluegill and Black Crappie were present indicating both species have been successful at establishing self-sustaining populations. Anglers should continue to find decent opportunities for these species which are not abundant in this part of the state.

Dyers Lake is 69 acres with 85% littoral area, having a maximum depth of 23 feet and is located approximately 4 miles west-southwest of Schroeder, MN. The back-in gravel access at the end of Cook County Road #30 is about 0.6 mile south of Cook County Road #1. There is a small parking area and small dock at this site. A special regulation restricting the daily and possession bag limit of Bluegill and Black Crappie to five fish of each species was enacted in May 2006 to limit the exploitation of the developing Bluegill and Black Crappie brood stock populations in Dyers Lake. This special regulation will be reviewed along with the Dyers Lake management plan by March 2016. This (2014) population assessment was the third investigation designed to monitor the special regulation. The average size of Black Crappie in the 2014 assessment was 5.6 inches; the largest was 13.1 inches (1.1 pounds). There were gaps noted in the Black Crappie reproduction, based on the scale ageing, these missing year-classes should allow for good growth of the two and three year-old fish present in the population in 2014. Two strong years of Black Crappie reproduction in 2011 and 2012 bodes well for crappie angling in Dyers Lake over the next few years. Bluegill numbers sampled in 2014 were the highest recorded in Dyers Lake since the introduction in 1999 and above average for lakes with similar characteristics having Bluegill populations. The average size of the Bluegill sample was 6.3 inches (0.25 pound) the largest 10.0 inches (0.9 pound). Three good years of Bluegill reproduction in 2010, 2011 and 2012 should provide quality Bluegill angling for some years. Northern Pike and Yellow Perch are also present in Dyers Lake in numbers that may interest anglers. The average size of the Northern Pike sampled was 21.9 inches with thirty-nine percent greater than 24 inches; the largest Northern Pike sampled was 28.4 inches (5 pounds). The Yellow Perch averaged 7.0 inches with seventeen percent greater than 8 inches; the largest Yellow Perch was 9.6 inches (0.4 pound).

Dyers Lake is 69 acres with 85% littoral area, having a maximum depth of 23 feet and is located approximately 4 miles west-southwest of Schroeder, MN. The back-in gravel access at the end of Cook County Road #30 is about 0.6 mile south of Cook County Road #1. There is a small parking area and small dock at this site. Dyers Lake was managed as a stream trout lake until it became apparent that a successful trout fishery could not be maintained due to competition from undesirable species. Management focus shifted to panfish with the stocking of bluegill (1999) and black crappie (2002), with populations of northern pike and yellow perch also present at that time. A special regulation was enacted in 2006 that restricts the bluegill and black crappie bag limit to 5 fish per day. This regulation was designed to protect the newly introduced bluegill and black crappie populations from over-harvest and allow development of high-quality bluegill and black crappie populations and fisheries in Dyers Lake. Bluegill numbers were below average for the lake class; however, the 2011 catch was the highest recorded on Dyers Lake. The 2008 year-class (age-3) represented 75% of the standard trap net catch in 2011 while ages 2-6 were also present. The average size of the bluegill sampled 6.2 inches (0.25 pound), the largest 9.5 inches (0.8 pound). Growth was near average for ages 1-3 and above average for ages 4-6 compared to the average of aged samples from the Finland Fisheries area. Black crappie catch in 2011 was above the lake class average. Seventy-two percent of crappie catch was from the 2006 year-class (age-5), ages 1, 2 and 6 were also represented. The average size of the black crappie sampled was 9.7 inches (0.6 pound). Growth measured from the 2011 black crappie sample was very near the average at all ages for black crappies sampled in the Finland Management Area. Northern pike catch in 2011 was above average for the lake class. Northern pike were first documented in Dyers Lake in 1992. The average length of northern pike sampled in 2011 was 16.4 inches (1.1 pounds) the maximum length taken in was 24.3 inches (3.2 pounds). Ages 1-8 were identified in the 2011sample, natural reproduction appeared sufficient to maintain the northern pike population in Dyers Lake. Yellow perch are present in Dyers Lake but the size would not excite anglers. Yellow perch in Dyers Lake provide a good forage base for the northern pike population. One 7.8 inch brook trout was collected in the 2011population assessment. Dyers Lake is no longer stocked with brook trout or any other stream trout species. The brook trout likely entered Dyers Lake via the outlet which is a tributary of the Two Island River, which has a self-sustaining brook trout population. The presence of brook trout in Dyers Lake does not indicate there is a fishable population

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

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

Dyers has a maximum depth of 23 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Dyers is from 2021.

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