Baxter

Baxter Lake is a 78-acre lake in southwest Isanti County located eleven miles west of Isanti, MN, and is within the Rum River watershed. The lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet and an average depth of 4 feet. The lake is 100% littoral (15 feet or less). The color of the water is green (nutrient loading), which results in water clarity of 2 to 4 feet. Spencer Brook flows through Baxter Lake. The lake has two inlets, one from Blue Lake on the west shore via Spencer Brook, and one on the northeast shore from wetland drainage. There is one outlet on the northwest shore (Spencer Brook) that flows into the Rum River. The low water clarity limits aquatic plant depths. One aquatic plant survey was conducted in 2013 by the Minnesota Biological Survey team. The depth of water at which dissolved oxygen levels limit fish presence (<5 ppm) was 6 feet in July of 2024. Low oxygen levels during both summer and winter has resulted in partial fish kills. Fish migration from Blue Lake upstream and the Rum River downstream repopulates the lake. Substrates are primarily sand, gravel, and muck. The lake is lightly developed with 5 homes. A small, shallow, gravel, public access is located on the south end of the lake off Highway 28 (291st Ave. NW) with parking for two rigs. Baxter Lake offers angling opportunities for several species. Anglers can expect to catch high numbers of small to medium sized bass. Black Crappies have relatively high catch rates of fish over 8 inches, but low catch rates for fish over 10 inches. Northern Pike are low in number, but the average length was 25.8 inches, and 28-inch fish were sampled in all surveys. The Bluegill catch rates are average, but fish over 8 inches have been sampled each of the past two surveys. Electrofishing for Largemouth Bass was conducted in May of 2024 for the third consecutive survey. In 2024, bass were sampled at a rate of 69/hour, which is similar as the average of 60/hour. This catch rate is high compared with similar area lakes. In 2024, bass ranged in length from 3.2 to 18.9 inches with a 10.6 inch average. Bass over 20 inches have never been sampled. Anglers can expect to catch high numbers of small to medium sized bass. The 2024 Black Crappie gillnet and trap net catches were low in 2024 when compared with past surveys. The gill net catch was 11/net in 2024 and compares to the average of 38/net, while the trap net catch was 3/net in 2024 and compares to the average of 20/net. Crappie ranged in length from 3.8 to 10.0 inches and had an average length of 7.4 inches. Crappies over ten inches have been sampled in 3 of 5 surveys, while crappies over 12 inches were sampled in one survey (1984). The population currently has a high proportion of fish over eight inches but a low proportion over ten inches. A relatively low number of Northern Pike are consistently sampled with gill nets when compared with similar area lakes. The gill net catch was 3.0/net in 2024, which compares to the average of 3.0/net and a range of 1.0 to 6.5/net. The 12 pike sampled ranged from 20.1 to 30.5 inches and had a 25.8 inch average. Pike over 28 inches have been sampled in all surveys, with the largest pike sampled including a 34.1 (2000), 37.5 (1984), and 34.5 (1959). Anglers can expect to catch low numbers of pike; however, the population has an above average proportion of fish over 21 inches. The 2024 Bluegill trap net catch rate was 16/net, which compares to the average of 20/net and a range of 0 to 38/net. No Bluegills over 8 inches were sampled in the first three surveys, while Bluegills up to 8.3 inches were sampled in 2010 and 2024. In 2024, Bluegill ranged from 3.8 to 8.3 inches with a 6.0 inch average. The current population has an average proportion of fish over 6 and 8 inches. Yellow Perch gill net catch rates were low in 4 of 5 surveys, ranging from 0 to 3/net. In 2024, gill net catch rates were 0/net. Two perch were sampled in 2024 with trap nets, that ranged from 6.9-7.2 inches. Perch over 8 inches have never been sampled. Although most perch are smaller than anglers prefer, they can be an important prey source for most gamefish targeted by anglers. Walleyes were sampled in two of five surveys. Two Walleyes, a 14.1 and a 21.3 inch fish were sampled in 2024, for a gill net catch rate of 0.5/net. Walleyes sampled likely either migrated using Spencer Brook from Blue Lake upstream or the Rum River downstream. Potential reasons for low Walleye numbers include warm summer water temperatures, and periodic low oxygen levels during both summer and winter. Other species sampled included Black Bullhead, Bowfin (Dogfish), Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, White Sucker, and Yellow Bullhead.

Baxter Lake is a 78 acre basin located between Blue and Tenneyson lakes in the Spencer Brook drainage. Near shore substrates are predominantly sand and development is very light for a lake in Isanti County. Summer water clarity is low due the lakes fertility. A lake survey was conducted the week of August 30th to monitor changes in the fishery since the 2000 assessment. Based on the assessment results, anglers should expect better than average fishing with user pressure varying from light to heavy depending on the time of year. Black crappies were abundant in the gill nets. The majority of the crappies were less than eight inches in length with an average of 0.2 pounds. Nonetheless, during the assessment, black crappies received all the observed fishing pressure. Largemouth bass were also abundant. Bass averaged 13 inches in length and 1.3 pounds in weight. Thirty one of the forty eight bass sampled (67%) exceeded 12 inches in length. The largest bass caught was 17.9 inches. Northern pike numbers were normal for the lake type. Pike averaged 2.9 pounds and 24.1 inches. With five of twenty-nine fish exceeding 30 inches in length, there is potential for trophy northern pike angling. Bluegill are more abundant than in the 2000 assessment and should provide additional opportunity to panfish anglers. Most of the captured bluegill were 7 inches or longer, a size acceptable to many anglers looking for a meal. The county owned access on Baxter Lake is unimproved with parking for approximately 6 boat trailers.

When compared to respective local medians, the present fish population status is as follows: the northern pike was low at 1.50 per set, but was of a large general size with a combined average weight of 5.32 lbs. The walleye was high at 7.00 per set with an average weight of 1.21 lbs. The yellow perch was quite high at 52.00 per set. The largemouth bass while low at 0.25 in the trapnet sets, was high at 3.00 in the gillnet and had good numbers in the shoreline seining. The bluegill (37.50) and black crappie (35.25) had high populations of small to fair size fish with an occasional large black crappie. The pumpkinseed was low at 1.00 per set and was of a small size. The black bullhead while very low (0.25) in the trapnet, was quite high at 48.50 in the gillnet. The yellow bullhead (5.75) and the brown bullhead (0.25) had slightly high and quite low median figures respectively. All bullheads were of a fair size. Carp all had above average population figures. The white sucker and hybrid sunfish were below their respective medians note: present walleye population is considered to be the result of migration downstream from Blue Lake.

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

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

Baxter has a maximum depth of 10 feet and a mean depth of 4 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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