McKinney

McKinney Lake is a 106 acre body of water located within the city of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. This is a moderately fertile lake with a maximum depth of 34 feet and an average depth of 9 feet. There is about 6 feet of clarity, and the water has a brown tint caused by pigments coming from the lowland bog area that feeds the inlet at the northwest corner of the lake. There is one public access with an earthen ramp. The presence of dense vegetation, including invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil, makes the access best suited for small carry-in watercraft or winter use. A standard survey was completed by Grand Rapids area fisheries staff in 2024. The survey included water quality measurements, and a fish population assessment using gill nets and trap nets. The survey was completed according to the lake management plan which specifies goals for the fish population of McKinney. Black Crappie was the most abundant species sampled during the 2024 survey. The population is very high in number, but the size structure is fairly poor due to slow growth. The catch rate in gill nets was greater than what would be expected from similar lakes. The average size was just under 7 inches and the largest sampled was just over 9 inches. Growth is unusually slow and is likely due to the high abundance of Black Crappie in McKinney. Aging and growth analysis showed that it took an average of 10 years to reach 8 inches. There were 8 year classes present and the oldest was a 13 year old that measured 9.2 inches. Northern Pike were the second most abundant species sampled in 2024. Pike catch rates were well beyond what would be expected from similar lakes. High density Northern Pike populations tend to have slow growth and a small maximum size; however, the population in McKinney has a history of producing a better size structure than typically expected from lakes with such high catch rates. Pike lengths ranged from 16 to 28 inches and averaged 22 inches. While this is a fairly good average size for this type of lake, the size structure has significantly decreased since the last survey was completed in 2014. During that 2014 survey the maximum age was 10, and 30% of the Northern Pike were 7 or older. In 2024 the maximum age was 8, and 12% of the population was 7 or older. The average size decreased 2.5 inches, and the maximum size decreased 3.5 inches. The growth rate is similar to what it was in 2014, so the reduction in large Northern Pike is due to a decrease in older fish. Anglers are encouraged to release fish over 26 inches to improve the size structure of the population. Bluegill abundance was within the expected range, and the size structure was small. The largest sampled during the 2024 survey was 6.5 inches. Other Sunfish species include Pumpkinseed, Green Sunfish, and the occasional Hybrid Sunfish that can reach somewhat larger sizes. While harvest opportunities are limited for panfish, high catch rates make McKinney a good spot for introducing new anglers to the sport. Largemouth Bass are also present in McKinney, but the sampling gear used for this survey does not effectively catch this species so the population was not assessed in 2024. Other species caught during the 2024 survey include Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, and Yellow Bullhead. All users of McKinney Lake should be reminded this body of water is infested with Eurasian Milfoil. Anglers and boaters should help stop the spread of invasive species by removing all aquatic plants from boats, trailers, and equipment. Drain plugs must be removed and live and bait wells must be drained before leaving the access. Anglers and boaters are encouraged to power wash and thoroughly dry all equipment prior to use in another water body.

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in McKinney Lake was conducted on June 20th, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 4 stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at 3 stations. Three stations were not seined due to deep muck substrate and dense vegetation. Nearshore sampling captured nine species of fish however none were species considered to be intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blackchin Shiner) and one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish). A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured nine species of fish. Bluegill and Yellow Bullhead accounted for the majority of the catch by number, and a majority by biomass. The trap net catch was very light overall. The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2024 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, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., 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. Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in McKinney Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score above the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Mississippi River - Grand Rapids watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in McKinney Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.

Index of biological integrity data was collected in 2014 in conjunction with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency watershed sampling.

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

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

McKinney has a maximum depth of 34 feet and a mean depth of 9 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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