Eagle

Eagle Lake is a 279 acre lake located 10 miles east of Marcell, MN in the Bigfork River watershed. Eagle Lake has relatively clear water and moderate productivity. Aquatic vegetation is abundant and provides habitat well-suited for Largemouth Bass and panfish. Eagle Lake has a long management history including multiple surveys and fish stockings. The lake management plan was last revised in 2005. Black Crappie and Walleye were considered primary management species due to angler interest, and Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike were considered secondary management species due to suitable habitat. Goals of the management plan included maintaining a Black Crappie trap net catch of 2.0 per net and a Walleye gill net catch of 2.5 per net. A standard lake survey was conducted in August 2016 to collect updated information on the fish population to revise the management plan. The survey utilized 6 gill nets and 9 trap nets set at various locations around the lake. Net catches for Black Crappie were similar to previous surveys and within the expected range for lakes with similar habitats. Sampled crappie ranged from 4.9 to 11.3 inches. Crappie averaged 7.1 inches from trap nets and 10.3 inches from gill nets. Age analysis estimated six year classes were present. Ages 2 through 7 were represented indicating relatively consistent reproduction. Growth was similar to the statewide average, with crappie averaging 9.5 inches after five years of growth. Lakes like Eagle Lake generally do not support sizable Walleye populations. Eagle Lake has typically produced a modest Walleye population maintained through limited natural reproduction and stocking. Walleye fingerling stocking was increased to 120 pounds in alternate years beginning in 2009, and continued through 2015, in an attempt to increase Walleye abundance. Despite the increase in fingerling stocking, the gill net catch in 2016 declined to a historical low and did not achieve the management plan goal. It appears Eagle Lake does not have the lake productivity or preyfish community to sustain a large Walleye population. Increased stocking in lakes of this type may negatively impact prey species, and higher Walleye catches occurred during periods of less frequent stocking. Yellow Perch catches have historically been low in Eagle Lake, and in 2016 no perch were captured in the gill nets. The few Walleye from the gill net sample ranged from 16 to 19 inches and were all attributed to the 2011 year class, which was a stocked year. The 2016 Northern Pike gill net catch was below the expected range for lakes with similar habitats but typical for Eagle Lake. Size structure of sampled pike was poor; only one fish exceeded 24 inches. Pike from the gill net sample ranged from 12.2 to 25.4 inches with mean length of 19.0 inches. Previous surveys described similar size structure and average growth. Age analysis from 2016 indicated regular natural reproduction with ages 1 through 5 represented. Growth was similar to the statewide average with pike averaging 19.4 inches after 4 years. The lack of fish over 24 inches and older than age 5 suggests angling harvest may be reducing size quality. A spring night electrofishing assessment for Largemouth Bass indicated a healthy population. Bass were captured in numbers similar to the previous survey with a variety of year classes represented. Most of the bass in the sample ranged from 12 to 16 inches. Ages 4 through 8 made up a majority of the sample. Growth was slower than the statewide average with fish averaging 13.5 inches after six years. Bluegill numbers in Eagle Lake have generally been low. The 2016 catch was below the expected range for lakes with similar habitats but typical for Eagle Lake. Size structure was modest; fish from the trap net sample ranged from 3.2 to 8.3 inches with an average length of 5.8 inches. The lake historically has not produced many Bluegill exceeding eight inches, although two Bluegill over nine inches were captured in gill nets. No age and growth information was collected for Bluegill. Other species sampled in this survey included Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Rock Bass and Yellow Bullhead. As lakes like Eagle become increasingly more developed, lakeshore owners will have a larger impact on their future. In order to maintain or improve fish and wildlife populations, water quality and habitat must be protected. Although the effect of land use decisions on one lake lot may seem relatively small, the cumulative impact of many lakeshore owners "fixing up" their property can result in a significant decline in water quality and habitat. For example, removing shoreline and aquatic vegetation, installing sand beach blankets, fertilizing lawns, mowing to the water's edge and failing septic systems all contribute excess nutrients and sediment which degrade water quality and habitat. Understanding these impacts and taking steps to avoid or minimize them will help to insure our quality fisheries can be enjoyed by future generations.

Eagle Lake is a 279 acre lake located 10 miles east of Marcell, MN in the Bigfork River watershed. Eagle Lake has a maximum depth of 44 feet and moderately clear water (9.3 ft visibility). Eagle Lake is managed primarily for walleye and panfish.Net catches of black crappie were low compared to previous surveys. Sampled crappie had a relatively poor size structure. Black crappie from gill nets had an average length of 8.6 inches, while those from trap nets had an average length of 6.6 inches.The walleye gill-net catch was above the lake class average at 1.5/net, but down considerably from the previous assessment (1997) when a record high catch rate of 5.3/net was recorded. Since 1993, walleye fingerlings have been stocked every third year at 1 lb./littoral acre. Ages 1-3, 6 and 7 were represented in the 2004 sample, with only 2 of the 9 walleye (22%) attributed to stocked years. Fish in the 2004 sample varied in length from 10.0 to 22.4 inches, with an average length of 16.4 inches. Growth was similar to the statewide average.Largemouth bass are typically not sampled well with traditional test netting, so a night electrofishing assessment was conducted in mid-June to collect baseline information on the population. That assessment yielded a catch rate of 31.5 fish/hour, a moderate catch rate compared to other lakes in the area. Size structure was moderate; sampled largemouth bass varied from 5.6 to 17.4 inches, with an average length of 11.5 inches. Scale analysis showed ages 2 through 8 were represented, with growth similar to the statewide average.The northern pike gill-net catch rate was within the normal range and similar to previous assessments at 4.3/net. The sample was dominated by age 2 and 3 fish (88% of the sample) and size structure was poor. Gill-net sampled pike varied in length from 14.9 to 38.6 inches with an average length of 18.8 inches. Growth was similar to the statewide average. The trap-net catch rate for bluegill (6.1/net) was below the normal range. Catch rates have generally been below the lake class average in previous assessments. Size structure was poor; fish in the sample varied from 3.4 to 7.9 inches in length with an average length of 5.5 inches. The gill-net catch rate for yellow perch (0.5/net) was below the expected range and the lowest recorded since 1970. Catch rates in previous assessments have generally been low but within the normal range (1.0-10.3/net).Other species sampled in test nets include: hybrid sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, white sucker and yellow bullhead.

Eagle Lake is managed primarily managed for walleye, with fingerling or yearling stocking every third year. The walleye gill net catch rate (5.3/set) exceeded the expected range for lakes of this type. The mean length of sampled walleye was 16.0 inches, ranging in length from 5.7 to 21.5 inches. Growth rates exceeded the statewide mean for ages 1-3, and were near the statewide mean for age 4. The northern pike gill net catch rate (5.0/set) was within the expected range. The mean length of pike was 19.3 inches, ranging in length from 14.8 to 29.9 inches. The mean weight was 1.6 pounds. Yellow perch were sampled in gill nets at a rate (3.3/set) within the expected range. Lengths ranged from 5.6 to 9.1 inches, with a mean length of 6.5 inches. Trap net sampled perch had a catch rate (1.0/set) within the expected range, and lengths similar to gill net sampled perch. The bluegill trap net catch rate (5.2/set) was below the expected range. Previous surveys also have had low catch rates. The mean length of trap net sampled bluegill was 6.3 inches, ranging in length from 3.7 to 7.7 inches. Similar numbers were also obtained from gill net sampled bluegill. Black crappie sampled in trap nets had a catch rate (0.9/set) within the expected range. Lengths ranged from 5.7 to 9.9 inches, with a mean length of 8.9 inches. Other species sampled in test nets include: black bullhead, hybrid sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, and white sucker.

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

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

Eagle has a maximum depth of 44 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Eagle is from 2016. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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