Ninth Crow Wing

Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Ninth Crow Wing Lake on July 30th, 2025. This was done to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. Cisco require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on data collected from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth was 55.1 feet), the water temperature decreased to 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) at 15.6 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 18.4 feet at the time of sampling. This layer in the water column was 2.8 feet, indicating oxythermal habitat for Cisco was present but marginal. Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 18.4 degrees C (65.1 degrees F). TDO3 values cooler than 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were marginal for Cisco at the time of the survey as the layer was confined to less than 3 feet of suitable habitat at the time of the survey. Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 2018 and 2022 also indicated suitable oxythermal habitat in all years surveyed, with the least favorable conditions recorded in 2018 when the suitable oxythermal habitat layer was 1.3 feet thick. When adequate oxythermal habitat is not available, Cisco are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.

Ninth Crow Wing is located four miles east of Nevis in southeastern Hubbard County. Ninth Crow Wing is part of a larger chain of lakes running from Eleventh Crow Wing Lake at the headwaters, down to First Crow Wing Lake. Ninth Crow Wing has a surface area of 232 acres and a maximum depth of 65 feet. There is no public access on Ninth Crow Wing, but there are public accesses located on both Eighth and Tenth Crow Wing Lakes and can be navigated to with most boats. Ninth Crow Wing provides fishing opportunities for Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and panfish. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Ninth Crow Wing is in lake class 23. Class 23 lakes are generally very deep, with hard and clear water, and have a low littoral area (lake area less than 15 feet deep). Other class 23 lakes in the Park Rapids management area include: Benedict, Blue, Boot, East Crooked, Eleventh Crow Wing, Lower LaSalle, and Spearhead. A special 24-36 inch protected slot length limit for Northern Pike was implemented in the spring of 2020 on Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Crow Wing Lakes. The objective of this regulation was to maintain or increase Northern Pike sizes. From 2003 to 2019 these lakes had a 40 inch minimum size limit on Northern Pike. Northern Pike abundance in recent surveys has fluctuated in moderate numbers for this lake class with good average size. Sampled pike had an average length and weight of 23.8 inches and 3.0 pounds with fish measured up to 32.8 inches. Present and past surveys have shown that Ninth Crow Wing supports an abundant Largemouth Bass population. Anglers will find good numbers of bass in the 14-16 inch size range. Largemouth Bass up to 18.2 inches were sampled during the survey. Good water quality, emergent and submergent aquatic vegetation, and spawning substrate provides excellent habitat for Largemouth Bass in Ninth Crow Wing. Ninth Crow Wing supports an abundant panfish population and can provide good fishing for Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, and Black Crappie. Anglers will find Bluegill and Pumpkinseed in the 6-8 inch size range and Black Crappie in the 9-11 inch size range. The Yellow Perch population in Ninth Crow Wing typically run smaller in size and generally not an acceptable size for angling with most fish under 8.0 inches. Anglers will find a low to moderate Walleye population in Ninth Crow Wing. Walleye up to 26.6 inches were sampled during the survey. Other species sampled included moderate numbers of Rock Bass and Golden Shiner. Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Bowfin, and Yellow Bullhead were sampled in low numbers. Currently no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Eighth Crow Wing. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all plants and animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boats before leaving the access.

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Ninth Crow Wing Lake was conducted on August 2-4, 2021 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Nearshore sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible. There was difficult sampling at nearly every site due to soft substrates and vegetation, primarily water lilies. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sampling stations, but two stations were sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample two stations, a 15-foot seine was used at five stations, and site conditions (soft sediments and dense water lilies in deep water) prevented the use of seines at three stations. Nearshore sampling captured 19 species of fish including eight species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Least Darter, Mimic Shiner, Mottled Sculpin, Rock Bass) and one species that is tolerant of disturbance (Green Sunfish). A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill were the most abundant and comprised a majority of the trap net catch by biomass. The number of Bluegill sampled per net was just the 50% quartile for similar Lake Class 23 lakes and the average length was 6.1 inches, with 21% over 7 inches. The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from an August 2018 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (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., Blackchin Shiner, Least Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Common Carp and 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 indicates Ninth Crow Wing Lake is healthy as indicated by an exceptionally high FIBI score, well above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Crow Wing River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

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

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

Ninth Crow Wing has a maximum depth of 65 feet and a mean depth of 17 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Ninth Crow Wing is from 2023.

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