Moses

A targeted survey was completed in the spring of 2024 on Lake Moses to assess the Bluegill and Black Crappie populations. Bluegill catch rates were moderate, and many quality fish were observed during the survey. Twenty seven percent of the Bluegill were over 8 inches in length and the largest Bluegill observed was 10 inches. Growth rates of Bluegill in Lake Moses are near average and it takes around 8 years to grow to 8 inches in length. Black Crappie catch rates were also moderate. Approximately 35% of the crappie were greater than 10 inches in length and the largest crappie observed was 12.3 inches. Growth rates were slow and on average it takes crappie in Lake Moses 5 years to get to 10 inches and over 10 years to get to 12 inches in length. Very old individuals of both species were sampled during the survey, with Bluegill extending to age 13 and Black Crappie extending to age 14. Quality fishing opportunities exist for multiple species in Lake Moses, though growth rates are slow to average and many old fish exist in the population. Anglers are encouraged to practice selective harvest to help sustain the quality of the fishery. Selective harvest encourages the release of larger fish while promoting harvest of more abundant smaller fish. Releasing medium to large fish can help restore and maintain fish community balance, as well as increase opportunities to catch large fish in the future.

Lake Moses is an 822-acre basin located approximately one mile west of Millerville in northwest Douglas County. Average depth is approximately 16 feet. Lake Moses was listed as infested with zebra mussels in 2020. Water clarity typically increases rapidly in the years following zebra mussel infestation. Water transparency was 24 feet at time of the June 2022 fisheries survey, which leads to abundant aquatic vegetation. A public DNR access is located on the northwest shoreline off County Road 16 NW. A standardized fisheries survey was completed June 13-16, 2022. A combination of 12 gill nets and 10 trap nets were used to sample the fish community. Due to increased effectiveness of electrofishing to sample Largemouth Bass, the lake's bass population was surveyed in advance (June 1) of the netting assessment. Spring electrofishing catch statistics indicate Largemouth Bass remain abundant. Largemouth Bass captured during the June electrofishing survey ranged from 8 to 17 inches in length. The average length of captures was 12 inches. Due to elevated population density, bass growth rates are slow. Several Smallmouth Bass were observed in recent surveys, but none were observed in the 2022 survey. Northern Pike catch rates in the 2022 survey were near the long term average for Lake Moses, though abundance is still considered high. Northern Pike size structure has improved drastically over the last several decades, and now represents one of the higher quality pike fisheries in the area. Many pike over 30 inches were observed in the survey, the largest being 37 inches. Sustaining the larger pike in this population could be beneficial. Northern Pike populations with large fish tend to be self-limiting, leading to lower abundance of smaller pike and decreasing predation pressure on Yellow Perch and small Walleye. Walleye abundance decreased to a record-low of 1.5 fish/gill net. Poor returns of previous Walleye stockings resulted in a modification of the stocking proposal in 2015. Stocking plans were modified from an annual stocking of 1 pound/littoral acre of fingerlings to a biennial stocking of 2 pounds/littoral acre of large fingerlings or yearlings. In addition to State stocking efforts, the Millerville Sportsmen's Club has purchased and stocked Walleye fingerlings at a nearly annual frequency. Despite various stocking efforts of advanced life stages (fingerlings, yearlings, and adults), Walleye CPE remains low. Though fry stocking has not been attempted in almost 20 years, historical fry stockings were more successful than current fingerling stockings. In an attempt to boost or at least maintain current Walleye abundance, fry stocking resumed in 2021. Lengths of Walleye caught in the 2022 survey ranged from 11 to 24 inches. Average length of gill net captures was 17 inches. Panfishing opportunities are excellent in Lake Moses. Bluegill abundance is high. Growth rates are below average, but Bluegill are long lived in Lake Moses likely because of low harvest levels. Larger, older Bluegill can be easily over-exploited. Anglers can help maintain this high quality Bluegill fishery by limiting harvest of large Bluegill. Nearly 34% of the Bluegill caught in trap nets were over 8 inches, and several 10 inch Bluegill were observed. It takes Bluegill almost 9 years to reach 8 inches, and many older Bluegill up to age 12 were sampled. Black Crappie catch rates are moderate and were near the long term average for Lake Moses. Similar to Bluegill, growth rates of Black Crappie are below average, but some individuals live long enough to reach larger sizes. Twenty six percent of the crappie were over 10 inches and the largest observed was 13 inches and was estimated to be 16 years old. Other prominent species in Lake Moses include Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, and Yellow Perch. Lake Moses supports elevated numbers of Pumpkinseed and Rock Bass, likely in response to good water quality. Yellow Perch abundance has been low for several decades, but catch rates increased slightly in the 2022 survey. Yellow Perch are often an important prey fish for predator species. High quality fishing opportunities exist for many species in Lake Moses. Many species in Lake Moses grow slowly, but harvest levels appear to be low, which allows for fish to live longer and reach larger sizes. Anglers are encouraged to practice selective harvest to help sustain the quality of the fishery. Selective harvest encourages the release of larger fish while promoting harvest of more abundant smaller fish. Releasing medium to large fish can help restore and maintain fish community balance, as well as increase opportunities to catch large fish in the future. Lake Moses was designated as an infested water after the discovery of zebra mussels in 2020. Recreational users should take necessary precautions to prevent further spread of invasive species. Drain all water and remove all aquatic vegetation from your boat and trailer when leaving any body of water.

A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community in Moses Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff starting July 15, 2019. Fourteen sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 14 sites with two sites sampled from the boat due to site conditions. A 50-foot seine was used to sample nine sites, a 15-foot seine was used at one site, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at four sampling sites. Nearshore sampling captured 17 native species of fish including five species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish, Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass) and one species that is tolerant of disturbance (Green Sunfish). Data from this targeted nearshore survey is combined with trap net and gill net data from a June 2016 standard survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based Index of Biological Integrity (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Chippewa River Watershed assessment of surface waters process completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

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

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

Moses has a maximum depth of 32 feet and a mean depth of 16 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Moses is from 2024.

Yes — Moses has confirmed zebra mussel. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.