Eighteen

Eighteen Lake is an approximately 100-acre lake located 2 miles north of Isabella. There is a US Forest Service rustic campground with three sites and a carry down boat access located off Trappers Lake Road (Forest Service 369). Facilities include enough parking for several vehicles, a picnic area, and a loop trail around the lake that provides some shore fishing opportunities. Eighteen Lake is managed for Walleye with fingerlings stocked every other year. A survey was completed in July of 2021 to evaluate the effectiveness of Walleye stocking and to assess the state of the fish community. Walleye catch in 2021 was above average when compared to similar lakes across the state, and was slightly higher than in other recent surveys on Eighteen Lake. The average length of Walleye sampled was approximately 16 inches with the longest fish measuring just under 21 inches. Analysis revealed a diverse age structure with an abundant 2018 year class that should provide excellent angling opportunities in the near future. Eighteen Lake has very clear water so Walleye anglers will likely have the best luck fishing under low light conditions. Yellow Perch were sampled in the lake in above average numbers compared to similar lakes and recent surveys on Eighteen Lake. Average length of Yellow Perch was just under seven inches with the longest fish measuring ten inches. While their size is generally small, perch do provide anglers with some action and are an important forage species for the lake. White Suckers and Golden Shiners were also sampled during this survey.

Eighteen Lake is located 1.5 miles north of Isabella Minnesota. The lake has an area of 102 acres and a maximum depth of 12 feet. The lake has a United States Forest Service (USFS) maintained parking area suitable for five to six vehicles and a short carry-down access. There is also a USFS campground at the access with three campsites and an outhouse. A hiking trail circles the lake and provides some shore fishing opportunities. The entire lake shore is in federal ownership and open to public use. The water is moderately clear with a green hue. One inlet enters the southeast corner of the lake, it originates from a small bog nearby. There are no known outlets. The lake bottom near shore is composed of a mixture of hard and soft substrates. A total of 24 types of aquatic and riparian plant were observed growing to a depth of 11 feet. Walleye is the primary managed species in Eighteen Lake and fingerlings are stocked every other year. The Walleye catch rate was above average when compared to similar lakes in the area. The average length of Walleye sampled was roughly 15 inches with the largest fish sampled having a total length of just less than 25 inches. The average weight of Walleye sampled in gillnets was 1.2 pounds, a little below average when compared to similar lakes. Based on age estimates, there were 11 year classes present in our samples with the oldest fish being estimated at age-14. The fish were well distributed across year classes with the 2007 year class being the largest, but making up only 27 percent of our sample. Walleye growth in Eighteen Lake was slow relative to other area lakes. Yellow Perch is the secondary managed species in Eighteen Lake and is managed primarily to provide a forage base for the Walleye. The Yellow Perch catch rate was below average when compared to similar lakes in the area. Average length of Yellow Perch was 6.2 inches with fish up to 7.3 inches long sampled. The average weight of Yellow Perch was 0.1 pounds, below average relative to similar lakes. Based on age estimates there were only four year classes present in the sample with no fish sampled over age-3 and with the 2014 year class making up 69 percent of the sample. Yellow Perch growth was fast relative to other area lakes. Eighteen Lake is a good Walleye lake from a numbers point of view that offers seclusion and a quiet setting with some amenities. There are good numbers of eater size Walleye in the lake and it is a small enough lake to be easily fishable from a canoe or small boat. Yellow Perch abundance is relatively low and the average length is small.

Access to Eighteen Lake is a short carry in on the east side of the lake, off of USFS Road #369. A USFS campground with four sites is present at the access and there is a hiking trail around the lake. A very simple fish community is present in the lake. The 2009 walleye population in Eighteen Lake was above average for the lake class. The average walleye length was 15.0 inches with 28% of the catch larger than 17 inches. The population is supported by fingerling stocking in even numbered years. Eighteen Lake is locally known to have good shore fishing for walleyes. Average numbers of yellow perch and white suckers were also sampled in 2009.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Walleye, Yellow Perch, and Smallmouth Bass in Eighteen. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Eighteen has a maximum depth of 12 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Eighteen is from 2021.

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