Little Spring

Itasca County

Near Talmoon

DOW: 31079700

Black CrappieGood · 58Rock BassGood · 57PumpkinseedGood · 53

A 136-acre lake near Talmoon in Itasca County — best known for panfish and walleye. Last surveyed 1999.

Fish Species (13)

Black Crappie

Good · 58

Below-normal numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

10.0"

Avg Weight

1.12 lbs

Catch rate: 0.33 per trap net · typical 0.8–6.5 for a lake like this

Size of catchable black crappie100% keeper-size (10"+)

All keeper-sizeLargest sampled 13"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	0.33	10.0"	1.12 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jul 12, 1999	0.25	10.0"	0.04 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jul 10, 1978	4.00	-	0.34 lbs	Standard gill nets

Rock Bass

Good · 57

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1959

Last surveyed 1959 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.45 lbs

Catch rate: 0.8 per trap net · typical 0.3–1.4 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 29, 1959	0.80	-	0.45 lbs	Standard trap nets

Pumpkinseed

Good · 53

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

4.7"

Avg Weight

0.22 lbs

Catch rate: 3.1 per trap net · typical 1.4–8.6 for a lake like this

Size of catchable pumpkinseed19% keeper-size (8"+)

3–7" · 81%Largest sampled 9"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	3.11	4.7"	0.22 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jul 10, 1978	0.75	-	0.17 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jun 29, 1959	0.33	-	0.30 lbs	Standard gill nets

Yellow Perch

Average · 44

Below-normal numbers · average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

6.8"

Avg Weight

0.37 lbs

Catch rate: 5.8 per gill net · typical 8–40.3 for a lake like this

Size of catchable yellow perch22% keeper-size (9"+)

5–8" · 78%Largest sampled 12"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	5.75	6.8"	0.37 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jul 12, 1999	9.33	6.8"	0.18 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jul 10, 1978	1.25	-	0.26 lbs	Standard trap nets

Walleye

Average · 43

Below-normal numbers · average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Jul 1978

Last surveyed 1978 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

2.25 lbs

Catch rate: 1.0 per gill net · typical 1.5–5.8 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 10, 1978	1.00	-	2.25 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 29, 1959	2.67	-	2.16 lbs	Standard gill nets

Bluegill

Average · 32

Typical numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

4.3"

Avg Weight

0.16 lbs

Catch rate: 3.9 per trap net · typical 2.5–25 for a lake like this

Size of catchable bluegill6% keeper-size (8"+)

3–7" · 94%Largest sampled 10"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	3.89	4.3"	0.16 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jul 10, 1978	0.25	-	0.40 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jun 29, 1959	5.00	-	0.57 lbs	Standard trap nets

Northern Pike

Average · 27

Typical numbers · small fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

18.4"

Avg Weight

1.69 lbs

Catch rate: 9.0 per gill net · typical 4.6–11.6 for a lake like this

Size of catchable northern pike2% keeper-size (24"+)

14–23" · 98%Largest sampled 34"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	2.11	18.4"	1.08 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jul 12, 1999	9.00	18.4"	1.69 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jul 10, 1978	1.00	-	1.50 lbs	Standard trap nets

Hybrid Sunfish

Poor · 12

Below-normal numbers

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

9.0"

Avg Weight

0.86 lbs

Catch rate: 0.11 per trap net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	0.11	9.0"	0.86 lbs	Standard trap nets

Largemouth Bass

Poor · 9

Small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

4.7"

Avg Weight

0.07 lbs

Catch rate: 0.33 per trap net · typical 0.3–0.9 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	0.33	4.7"	0.07 lbs	Standard trap nets

Other species in this lake (4)

Rough fish, bullheads, and baitfish recorded in DNR surveys — present in the lake, but not typical angling targets.

Brown Bullhead

Good · 53

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

9.6"

Avg Weight

0.63 lbs

Catch rate: 4.2 per trap net · typical 1.5–9.8 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	4.22	9.6"	0.63 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jun 29, 1959	4.67	-	0.54 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 29, 1959	9.00	-	0.64 lbs	Standard trap nets

Black Bullhead

Average · 40

Below-normal numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

8.1"

Avg Weight

0.40 lbs

Catch rate: 0.78 per trap net · typical 1.1–17.4 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	0.78	8.1"	0.40 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jul 10, 1978	45.50	-	0.47 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jul 10, 1978	1.75	-	0.57 lbs	Standard trap nets

White Sucker

Average · 36

Below-normal numbers · large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

17.0"

Avg Weight

2.31 lbs

Catch rate: 0.25 per gill net · typical 1–5.5 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	0.25	17.0"	2.31 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jul 10, 1978	0.50	-	1.00 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 29, 1959	1.67	-	1.54 lbs	Standard gill nets

Yellow Bullhead

Poor · 17

Below-normal numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

9.0"

Avg Weight

0.45 lbs

Catch rate: 0.22 per trap net · typical 1.8–7.2 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jul 12, 1999	0.22	9.0"	0.45 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jul 10, 1978	0.50	-	0.30 lbs	Standard gill nets

Biologist Notes

July 12, 1999Little Spring Lake is primarily a northern pike/panfish lake. The northern pike gill-net catch rate, although high, is still within the expected range…

Little Spring Lake is primarily a northern pike/panfish lake. The northern pike gill-net catch rate, although high, is still within the expected range for this type of lake. The average size of the fish sampled is relatively small (19.8 inches), but pike up to 34 inches were sampled. Growth of young northern pike appears to be good. Yellow perch are the main forage for northern pike. The yellow perch catch rate is low, below the expected range. However, they are relatively large. They averaged 8.9 inches and perch were sampled up to 12.0 inches. Black crappie catch rates are lower than the expected range for both gill nets and trap nets. However, the few that were sampled had an average length of 12.5 inches and average weight of 1.1 pounds. Bluegill were also sampled at low rates, although the catch rate is still within the expected range. Although the average length of bluegill was only 5.0 inches, some were sampled up to 10.5 inches. Other species sampled include; largemouth bass, tullibee, bowfin (dogfish), yellow and brown bullhead, white sucker and pumpkinseed and hybrid sunfish.

July 10, 1978Low walleye population, they probably came from Jessie Lake on their spawning run. Fair northern population, low panfish population. Bullheads are num…

Low walleye population, they probably came from Jessie Lake on their spawning run. Fair northern population, low panfish population. Bullheads are numerous.

June 29, 1959Test net catches of fish during the survey indicated substantial populations of northern pike, brown bullhead and perch present in the lake. Panfish w…

Test net catches of fish during the survey indicated substantial populations of northern pike, brown bullhead and perch present in the lake. Panfish were present in near normal numbers for lakes of this type. The walleye population in late June appeared low, and was mostly of larger-sized fish. It seems likely that considerable variation in the walleye population occurs in this lake since it is part of a lake since it is part of a lake chain, up which a considerable walleye run from downstream Jessie Lake occurs. The walleye population is very likely considerably larger during late May and early June.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish can you catch in Little Spring?

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Black Crappie, Rock Bass, Pumpkinseed, Yellow Perch, and Walleye in Little Spring. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Is there public access at Little Spring?

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Little Spring. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

How deep is Little Spring?

Little Spring has a maximum depth of 10 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

When were the main sport fish in Little Spring last surveyed?

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Little Spring is from 1999. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.