Shady Oak

Shady Oak Lake is a 91-acre lake with a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake is in the city of Minnetonka in central Hennepin County. The City of Minnetonka maintains a large swim beach on the southeast side of the lake. Limited boat access exists, however shore fishing opportunities are available around much of the lake via walking trails. A targeted survey (6 trap nets/2 gill nets) was completed on Shady Oak Lake during the week of 8/7/2023 to monitor water quality and fish populations. Water color was clear, with good water clarity, measured at 9.0 feet during the time of this survey. Dissolved oxygen reached zero parts per million (ppm) at a depth of 20 feet, meaning fish would be unable to use water depths greater than 20 feet during mid-summer. The predator fish community is mainly composed of Largemouth Bass and Northen Pike. Largemouth Bass are present in Shady Oak, although targeted boat-electrofishing did not occur during the 2023 survey. Incidental capture with trap and gill nets caught one Largemouth Bass, measuring 18 inches. Moderate numbers of Northern Pike were sampled with gill nets (4.5/net) near the expected catch rate of similar lakes. There were nine Northern Pike sampled in gill nets during the 2023 survey with an average length of 20.8 and the largest measured at 25.3 inches. Both bass and pike should provide decent angler opportunity comparable to many metro lakes. The panfish community is primarily composed of Bluegill and Black Crappie. High numbers of Bluegill were sampled with trap nets (70.2/net) above the expected catch rate of similar metro lakes. There were 421 Bluegill sampled in trap nets during the 2023 survey, with an average length of 5.4 inches, and the largest measured at 7.7 inches. Less than 2% of the Bluegill sampled were greater than 7 inches. Moderate numbers of Black Crappie were sampled in gill nets (11/net), near the expected catch rate of similar lakes. There were 22 Black Crappie sampled in gill nets during the 2023 survey, with an average length of 6.7 inches and the largest measured at 8.0 inches. Panfish are plentiful, although relatively few large fish can be found. Other fish species sampled in low abundance were Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, Pumpkinseed, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch. Eurasian Watermilfoil, a submersed invasive aquatic plant has been found in Shady Oak and remains present. Eurasian watermilfoil can limit recreational activities on water bodies by forming mats on the water surface and alter aquatic ecosystems by displacing native plants. The most important action that you can take to limit the spread of milfoil and other aquatic invasive plants is to remove all vegetation from your watercraft before you move it from one body of water to another.

THE PRESENT FISH POPULATION IS DOMINATED BY SMALL NOP AND SMALL CEN. NOP WERE SAMPLED WITH GILL NETS WELL ABOVE MEDIAN LEVELS FOR COMBINED DATA. NOP WERE CAPTURED IN ALL THREE BASINS. ONLY IN THE SOUTH BASIN (WHERE JUST ONE FISH WAS CAPTURED) SAMPLING DID NOT EXCEED MEDIANS. GROWTH OF NOP APPEARS TO BE AVERAGE AND VERY SIMILAR IN ALL THREE BASINS WITH AGE III+ FISH BEING THE DOMINANT AGE CLASS IN THE PRESENT POPULATION. AS A RESULT, THE CALCULATED RSD =20.4% FOR THE THREE BASINS COMBINED. LMB WERE SAMPLED SLIGHTLY ABOVE MEDIAN LEVELS FOR GILL NETS AND AT MEDIAN LEVELS FOR TRAP NETS USING COMBINED DATA. BASS YOY WERE OBSERVED IN ALL THREE BASINS BUT WERE SAMPLED BY SEINING ONLY IN THE MIDDLE BASIN. ADULT LMB WERE CAPTURED IN ALL THREE BASINS. GROWTH APPEARS TO BE SLOWEST IN THE MIDDLE BASIN AND SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE FOR ALL THREE BASINS. IN GENERAL, BLGS WERE SAMPLED WELL ABOVE MEDIAN LEVELS FOR TRAP NETS AND SLIGHTLY ABOVE MEDIAN LEVELS FOR GILL NETS. BLGS AVERAGED SMALL IN SIZE AND COMBINED SAMPLING GEAR ANALYSIS RESULTS IN AN TRAPNET CALCULATED PSD= 6.55%. THE PSD FOR THE NORTH AND SOUTH BASINS WERE SIMILAR (4.67 AND 4.85% RESPECTIVELY) AND SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER IN THE MIDDLE BASIN (9.19%). HOWEVER, THE LARGEST INDIVIDUAL FISH OVERALL WERE SAMPLED IN THE SOUTH BASIN. THE MOST COMMON SIZE OF BLG SAMPLED WAS BETWEEN 4.0 AND 4.9 INCHES IN TOTAL LENGTH. PMKS AND HSF WERE SAMPLED ABOVE MEDIAN LEVELS FOR TRAPNETS AND NEAR MEDIAN LEVELS FOR GILL NETS. THESE SPECIES ALSO AVERAGE SMALL IN SIZE AND WERE PRESENT IN ALL THREE BASINS. YEB WERE PRESENT IN THE NORTHERN TWO BASINS, BUT ABSENT IN THE SOUTH. BLBS WERE ABUNDANT IN THE SOUTH BASIN, BUT WERE ABSENT INTHE NORTHERN TWO BASINS. BRBS AND CARP WERE SAMPLED ONLY IN THE NORTH BASIN. BLC WERE SAMPLED IN ALL THREE BASINS AND OVERALL WERE BELOW MEDIAN LEVELS FOR TRAP NETS AND NEAR MEDIAN LEVELS FOR GILL NETS. THE MAJORITY OF BLC SAMPLED WERE IN THE NORTH BASIN. THE AVERAGE RATE FOR THE CRAPPIES SAMPLED WAS ONLY 6.45 FISH PER POUND.

ACCORDING TO NETTING DATA, FISH SPECIES PRESENT INCLUDE: NORTHERN PIKE, LARGEMOUTH BASS (NUMBERS ABOVE STATE AND LOCAL MEDIANS, WEIGHTS BELOW) AND BLUEGILL, PUMPKINSEED, BLACK CRAPPIE, AND HYBRID SUNFISH. ALL OF THE LATTER ARE AT OR BELOW STATE AND LOCAL MEDIANS IN NUMBERS AND WEIGHT. COMPARA- TIVELY SMALL NUMBERS OF BULLHEADS AND WHITE SUCKER WERE ALSO SAMPLED.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Hybrid Sunfish, Bluegill, and Yellow Perch in Shady Oak. 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 Shady Oak. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Shady Oak has a maximum depth of 35 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Shady Oak is from 2023.

Yes — Shady Oak has confirmed Eurasian watermilfoil and brittle naiad. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.