Eighth Crow Wing

Eighth Crow Wing is located two miles east of Nevis in southeastern Hubbard County. Eighth 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. Eighth Crow Wing has a surface area of 503 acres and a maximum depth of 30 feet. A public access is located on the northeast end of the lake off Far North Drive. Boating access is also available from the channel connecting Ninth and Tenth Crow Wing Lakes. There is a small dam at the outlet of Eighth Crow Wing Lake which restricts boating downstream into Seventh Crow Wing Lake. Eighth Crow Wing provides a diverse fishery for Walleye, 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. Eighth Crow Wing is in lake class 31. Class 31 lakes generally have very hard water and regularly shaped shorelines. Other class 31 lakes in the Park Rapids management area include: Second, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Crow Wing Lakes, Boulder, Duck, Evergreen, Hattie, Shingobee, Tripp, and Lower Twin. Walleye abundance was down from past surveys but still within the range for similar type lakes. Sampled Walleye had an average length of 19.9 inches with fish measured up to 29.5 inches. Yellow Perch, an important forage species for Walleye were sampled in high numbers. Yellow Perch were generally small in size with an average length of 7.6 inches and fish measured up to 9.8 inches. 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. Sampled Northern Pike had an average length of 26.5 inches and weight of 4.5 pounds with fish measured up to 36.4 inches. Eighth Crow Wing Lake supports healthy Largemouth Bass and panfish populations and can provide good fishing for these species. Spring electrofishing sampled good numbers of Largemouth Bass with an average size of 11.8 inches with fish measured up to 19.2 inches. Present and past surveys have shown abundant Bluegill and Pumpkinseed populations with fish in the 6-8 inch size range. Black Crappie populations have fluctuated from low to moderate numbers with fish in the 9-11 inch size range. 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.

Eighth Crow Wing Lake (29-0072-00) is a 502.97-acre lake with a maximum depth of 30 feet located 4 miles southeast of Nevis, MN. A survey targeting near shore fish species was conducted by Park Rapids Fisheries Staff on July 17 - 18, 2018 to assess populations of non-game and small sport fish. Fourteen 100-foot sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake shore, sampling a variety of habitat types. Each site was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot 1/8th-inch mesh seine, depending on habitat conditions. During this assessment, two sites were sampled with a 50-foot seine and nine sites were sampled with a 15-foot seine. Site conditions prevented the use of seines at three sites. Backpack electrofishing was done at all 14 sites, several of which were conducted from the side of the boat. Nearshore sampling captured sixteen species of fish including three species intolerant of disturbance; Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, and Blacknose Shiner. Other species sampled during the nearshore effort included Bluegill, Bluntnose Minnow, Brook Stickleback, Central Mudminnow, Fathead Minnow, Hybrid Sunfish, Iowa Darter, Johnny Darter, Largemouth Bass, Least Darter, Mimic Shiner, Tadpole Madtom, and Yellow Perch. Nearshore catches will be used along with gill net and trap net catch data from a standard fisheries survey conducted on June 18, 2018, to calculate a fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) score which is indicative of the health of Eighth Crow Wing Lake. This survey is contributing to a watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. Eighth Crow Wing Lake is located in the Crow Wing River Watershed.

Eighth Crow Wing Lake is located two miles east of Nevis in southeastern Hubbard County. Eighth Crow Wing Lake is part of a larger chain of lakes running from Eleventh Crow Wing Lake at the headwaters, down to First Crow Wing Lake. Eighth Crow Wing Lake has a surface area of 503 acres and a maximum depth of 30 feet. A DNR public access is located on the north east end of the lake off of Far North Drive. Boating access is also available from the channel connecting Ninth and Tenth Crow Wing Lakes. There is a small dam at the outlet of Eighth Crow Wing Lake, which restricts boating to Seventh Crow Wing Lake. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Eighth Crow Wing Lake is in Lake Class 31. Class 31 lakes generally have very hard water, and regularly shaped shorelines. Other class 31 lakes in the Park Rapids area include: Second, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Crow Wings, Boulder, Duck, Evergreen, Hattie, Hinds, Shingobee, Tripp and Lower Twin. A special 40-inch minimum length limit on Northern Pike was implemented in the spring of 2003 on Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Crow Wing Lakes and is still in place. The objective of this regulations was to maintain or increase pike sizes in these lakes. Anglers can expect to find large Northern Pike in Eighth Crow Wing Lake. Northern Pike had an average length and weight of 32 inches and 7.7 pounds, with pike measured up to 42 inches in 2018. Walleye catch rates were in line with similar lakes, but below the current management goal. Walleyes had an average length of 18 inches, with fish sampled up to 28 inches. Yellow Perch, an important forage species for both Walleye and Northern Pike were sampled in high numbers. Anglers will find quite a few perch over 8 inches, with some up to 10.5 inches sampled. Eighth Crow Wing Lake has Largemouth Bass, and spring sampling showed good numbers. They had an average length of 12 inches, with fish sampled up to 19 inches. Eighth Crow Wing Lake supports a healthy panfish population and can provide good fishing for Black Crappie and Bluegill. Black Crappie abundance was up, but still moderate numbers compared to other local lakes. They had an average size of 8 inches, with crappies sampled up to 11 inches. Bluegills were sampled in good numbers, similar to past surveys. Anglers will find the larger Bluegill and Pumpkinseed in the 6-8 inch size range. Currently no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Eighth Crow Wing Lake. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access.

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

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

Eighth Crow Wing has a maximum depth of 30 feet and a mean depth of 21 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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