Owen

Owen Lake is in ecological lake class 32 and is located in the Little Fork River Watershed. The lake is 257 acres and has a maximum depth of 34 feet. A survey targeting nearshore fish species was conducted by Area staff on 25 June, 2018. Ten sampling sites (100 feet long) were evenly spaced around the lake shore, sampling a variety of habitat types. Each site is sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-ft or 15-ft 1/8th inch mesh seine, depending on habitat condition. Shoreline seining was conducted at eight sites; using the 50-ft seine at four and the 15-ft seine at four. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 10 sites. Nearshore sampling captured a total of nine different species; seven species by seining and five species by backpack electrofishing. The species can be found in the gear-specific catch tables in this report. Nearshore catches will be used with the gill net and trap net data from the standard survey conducted on 2 July, 2018, to calculate a fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) score which is indicative of lake health. The surveys will assist the watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

Owen Lake is a 257-acre lake in northern Itasca County located 12 miles east of Bigfork, MN. The lake has an earthen public access on the south shore and a shoreline consisting of several points, bays and channels. A DNR campground is present on the east shore. Owen is in lake class 32 and other area lakes in this lake class include Eagle, Burrows and Burnt Shanty lakes. Primary fish species include northern pike, largemouth bass, and panfish. The northern pike catch rate was 10.2/net, which exceeded the expected range for similar lakes and was similar to the catch rate of 11.0/net in 2000. Size structure was good with a good proportion of the population exceeding 24 inches. Growth was similar to the statewide average with fish averaging 28 inches by age 7. Night electrofishing was conducted for the first time in 2008 and sampled largemouth bass at a rate of 52/hour, indicating a moderately abundant population. Small fish less than 15 inches dominated size structure. Smallmouth bass were sampled for the first time in the 2000 assessment and four fish were sampled by electrofishing in 2008. Bluegill catch rate was 23.7/trap net, which indicates a moderately abundant population and was similar to the catch rate in 2000 of 23.0/trap net. Size structure was moderate to poor with many fish exceeding 6 inches, but no fish exceeding 8 inches. Growth was slightly faster than the lake class average with fish reaching 7 inches by age eight. Black crappie gill net catch rate was 0.8/net, which was similar to the lower end of the expected range. The trap net catch rate was 1.9/net and was similar to the middle of the expected range. Size structure in trap nets was good with fish up to 10.5 inches sampled. Yellow perch gill net catch was 9.7/net, which was similar to the upper end of the expected range. The population consisted of mostly small fish between 5 to 6 inches. Five walleye were sampled for a catch rate of 0.8/gill net, which was the same as the lake class average. Walleye fingerlings are currently stocked every third year with the most recent stockings occurring in 2002 and 2005. One of the five walleye sampled corresponded to a stocked year class. Based on the results of this assessment, it appears that natural reproduction is maintaining a small walleye population similar to what this lake type is capable of producing. Other species sampled include golden shiner, pumpkinseed sunfish, and white sucker. Lakeshore owners may affect fish populations not only through harvesting fish, but also through land use practices. It is important to leave a 30 to 50 ft buffer strip of native vegetation along the shoreline to prevent erosion and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. Nonfunctioning septic systems can also lead to water quality problems. Good water quality and fish populations are the direct result of good land use practices. Anglers can also help to improve the size structure of the fish community by practicing selective harvest.

Owen Lake is a small bass-panfish lake located in northeastern Itasca County. The lake is known for its northern pike, black crappie and walleye fishing. Stocked for many years with walleye, Owen in recent years has been stocked with walleye fingerlings. In this assessment, walleye were sampled at 1.5/gill net, similar to what has been observed in the past. All but one of the walleyes was from the fingerling stocked years of 1990, 1993 and 1996. Growth of the walleye was excellent, exceeding the statewide averages by up to 15%. Northern pike abundance reached an all time high in this assessment. Although they varied in length from 9.7-35.3 inches, the average weight was only 1.8 pounds. Of the 66 northerns aged, 74% were 2-5 years old. Yellow perch were sampled at higher numbers than has been observed in most of the past assessments. At 9.0/gill net in this assessment, they were sampled in the upper range for lakes of this type. Black crappie and bluegill were also observed in good numbers. Eighty-three percent of the black crappie sampled were from 1996 and 1997 year classes (3 and 4 years old). The average size was 7.3 inches. Bluegill, also abundant in this assessment, confirmed a trend of increasing numbers in the recent years. They averaged 5.1 inches in the gill net and 5.8 inches in the trap net. Largemouth bass were sampled in the same numbers in both gill net and trap net, 1.2/set. Other species sampled were brown bullhead, pumpkinseed sunfish and white suckers.

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

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

Owen has a maximum depth of 34 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Owen is from 2008. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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