Lougee

Lougee is a 217 acre lake located about five miles north of Merrifield, in Crow Wing County. Maximum depth is 53 feet and about 72% of the surface area is less than fifteen feet deep. In 1997 there were 59 homes/cabins located along the 2.2 miles of shoreline. Public accesses are present on the south and northwest shorelines. Bottom soils in water less than four feet deep were primarily sand, with small amounts of muck and rubble sized rock (3-10") also present. The lake has moderately hard water and low phosphourus fertility. Water clarity was somewhat above average for area lakes in 1997. A fairly diverse aquatic plant community was present in '97. Emergent species help control the lake's nutrients and help protect shorelines from erosion caused by wave action. Species like bulrush also enhance the quality of spawning habitat for several fish species. Submergent and floating leafed species provide important cover and food sources for a wide variety of aquatic species.A lake survey was conducted during the summer of 1997. A fairly diverse fish population was present. Compared to similar type lakes, the catch rate for yellow bullhead was categorized as "high." Catch rates for walleye and brown bullhead were in the "low" category. Catches of northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed and rock bass were all considered to be "average."The northern pike catch was "average" and was similar to catches from the previous three nettings (1979, '84, '87). Pike from 16-31 inches were caught and averaged 21 inches and 2.2 lbs. in size. Three strong year classes were present and growth was good.Only one walleye was sampled in '97. The '87 netting produced a catch rate of 1.5/GN after several years of experimentally stocking a variety of sizes for a number of years. At that time, several age classes were present, each in relatively low numbers.Largemouth bass were present in "average" numbers. A variety of age classes were present, including young fish.Bluegills were found in "average" numbers for the first time since the 1960 netting. Catches were extremely high in the 1979-1987 nettings. In '97, about 23% of the bluegills sampled were at least 7.0 inches long. Bluegills had slow growth. The black crappie catch was "average" and similar to the two previous catches. The strongest year class was from 1994 and growth bordered on slow.Yellow perch, an important forage species, was found in "average" numbers in 1997. Supplemental perch stocking was done in 1982 and '83. These stockings have not had a lasting beneficial effect, since perch catches in the three nettings since stocking were all lower than the perch catch in 1979. In 1997, several perch year classes, including young fish, were present in the catch and average length was over 8 inches. White sucker, another forage species, was not sampled in '97 but was generally caught in "low" numbers in previous nettings.Yellow bullheads were first caught in the 1984 netting. Their numbers increased and abundance was in the "high" category in '97. However, small bullheads were absent from the catch, possibly indicating lower numbers in the near future.

The northern pike population has remained relatively stable since the last surveys in 1979 and 1984. The gill net CPUE of 10.8 remains above the third quartile for the lake group. The average size of this fish is good with a relatively broad size structure. Growth of the northern pike is faster than the statewide average. The bluegill population remains high with a trapnet CPUE of 161.9. The size structure of the bluegills is poor with only 1 of 238 fish sampled greater than 7.0 inches. Growth of the fish is slower than the statewide average (4.3 inches at the fifth annulus in Lougee versus 7.1 inches statewide). The yellow perch population has declined significantly since 1984. The gill net CPUE in 1984 was 8.0 and in 1987 is 1.2. The relatively higher abundance in 1984 was probably the result of the stocking of adult yellow perch in 1982 and 1983. The walleye population is about average for the lake group. Several year classes are represented and the fish may be the result of several stocking made since 1980. The yellow bullhead, rock bass, pumpkinseed, largemouth bass and black crappie populations are average for the lake group, while the white sucker black and brown bullhead populations are lower than average.

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

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

Lougee has a maximum depth of 53 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Lougee is from 1997. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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