Whitefish

Whitefish Lake is located 3 miles south of Wirt, MN in the Big Fork River watershed and the Chippewa National Forest. The 2009 lake management plan (LMP) listed Walleye and Northern Pike as primary management species and Black Crappie as secondary management species. A standard lake survey was conducted in August 2019 to assess the status of the fish community. An Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) survey was also conducted to sample nearshore fishes not typically sampled in standard nets. Results of that assessment are summarized in a separate report. Walleye gill-net catches had ranged from 2.7 to 8.6/net in previous surveys. The 2019 catch of 4.3/net was slightly below average for the lake and similar lakes. Size structure was favorable for anglers; sampled Walleye ranged from 9.6 to 24.2 inches with an average length of 15.9 inches. No stocking of any kind has occurred since 1973 and all fish are the result of natural reproduction. Ages 1-8, and 17 were represented, indicating frequent but variable reproduction. Ages 1 and 4 were the most frequently sampled. Growth was similar to the statewide average. Walleye exceeded 17 inches after 5 years. Whitefish Lake likely provides fair angling opportunities for Walleye, at least for "eating size" fish less than 20 inches. Gill-net catches for Northern Pike had ranged from 2.1 to 17.4/net in previous surveys. The 2019 catch rate (4.7/net) was below average for the lake and similar lakes. Size structure was poor and similar to the previous survey. Gill-net sampled pike ranged from 14.6 to 25.0 inches with an average length of 20.4 inches. Six year classes were identified from age 1 to 5, and 7. Growth was considered average; pike averaged 20 inches after four years. Poor size structure likely limits the popularity of the pike fishery. Net catches for Black Crappie have typically been low in past surveys. The 2019 gill-net catch was below average compared to similar lakes, while no crappie were sampled in trap nets. The few fish sampled ranged from 7.9 to 11.7 inches. No age and growth data were collected, but the length-frequency distribution suggested at least two year classes were present. Pumpkinseeds have been the most commonly sampled sunfish in all surveys, and catch rates have generally been low. The 2019 trap-net catch was average for the lake and similar lakes. Sampled Pumpkinseeds ranged from 3.0 to 7.0 inches. Bluegill were sampled for the first time in 2008 in low numbers. In 2019, one Bluegill was sampled in a gill net, and two Hybrid Sunfish were captured in trap nets. Yellow Perch are an important prey species for larger predators like Walleye and Northern Pike. Gill-net catches for perch have been within the expected range in all but one survey. The 2019 catch of 28.6/net was above average for the lake and lakes with similar habitat. Sampled perch ranged from 5.0 to 11.7 inches with an average length of 6.2 inches. Few fish exceeded 8 inches, so perch in Whitefish Lake are likely more important as a prey species than as a target for anglers. Gill-net catches for Tullibee have generally been near or below average compared to similar lakes. The 2019 catch of 1.6/net was average for the lake. Tullibee ranged from 7.8 to 17.5 inches with an average length of 12.0 inches. The length-frequency distribution suggested at least three year classes were present. Tullibee can be an important prey species for larger predators like Northern Pike and Walleye. Other species sampled in the latest survey included Bowfin, Yellow Bullhead, Rock Bass and White Sucker.

Whitefish Lake is in ecological lake class 27 and is located near Wirt, MN, in the Chippewa National Forest and Big Fork River Watershed. The lake is 563 acres and has a maximum depth of 51 feet. A survey targeting nearshore fish species was conducted by Area fisheries staff beginning on 10 July, 2019. Fourteen 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 8 sites: 6 with the 15-ft seine and 2 with the 50-ft seine. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 14 sites. Nearshore sampling captured 12 different species: 10 species by seining and 11 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 5 August, 2019, 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.

Whitefish Lake is in lake class 27, located in the Big Fork River watershed and the Chippewa National Forest. Class 27 lakes are medium sized, walleye-centrarchid lakes with moderately hard water. Other area lakes in class 27 include Round, Little Jessie and Little Winnibigoshish. Whitefish Lake has a surface area of 563 acres and a maximum depth of 51 feet. Whitefish Lake is managed primarily for walleye and northern pike. The walleye gill-net catch rate in the 2008 assessment was 4.8/net. This catch rate is slightly below the lake class median, but similar to the long-term average for Whitefish Lake and up from the previous assessment (2.7/net in 1998). Sampled walleye ranged from 9.7 to 22.6 inches, with a mean length of 16.8 inches and a mean weight of 1.8 pounds. Ages 1-6 and 10-12 were represented in the sample, all from natural reproduction. No walleye have been stocked in Whitefish Lake since 1973. Age 2 fish (2006 year class) made up 42% of the sample. Mean back-calculated length-at-age was greater than 115% of the statewide average for ages 1-6, and was similar to the statewide average for all other ages. The northern pike gill-net catch rate was 6.1/net, just above the lake class median (5.1) and down substantially from the 1998 catch of 17.4/net. Sampled pike ranged from 12.0 to 22.7 inches, with a mean length of 18.1 inches and a mean weight of 1.2 pounds. Ages 1-5 were represented in the sample and growth was similar to the statewide average for all ages. Yellow perch and tullibee, important prey species for walleye and northern pike, were both sampled at rates below their expected ranges. Yellow perch were sampled at 5.9/gill net and ranged from 4.6 to 11.3 inches, with a mean length of 6.9 inches. Tullibee were sampled at 0.3/gill net with a mean length of 7.5 inches. Net catches for black crappie and pumpkinseed sunfish have generally been low in all assessments. In the 2008 assessment, black crappie were caught at a rate below the expected range and varied from 4.3 to 10.2 inches with a mean length of 7.5 inches. Pumpkinseed sunfish were caught at a rate of 2.2/trap net, within the normal range but down from the previous assessment (7.0/trap net in 1998). Sampled pumpkinseed sunfish ranged in length from 3.5 to 8.2 inches, with a mean length of 5.2 inches. Bluegill were sampled for the first time in 2008 at a catch rate of 2.1/net. Sampled bluegill ranged from 3.0 to 9.2 inches, with a mean length of 4.0 inches. Other species sampled included bowfin, burbot, rock bass, white sucker and yellow bullhead.

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

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

Whitefish has a maximum depth of 51 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Whitefish is from 2019.

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