Greenleaf

Greenleaf Lake is a 302-acre lake located approximately 3.5 miles southwest of the town of Montgomery in Le Sueur County. The DNR-owned public access is located on the northeast shore off County Road 140. Greenleaf Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet, with approximately 87% of the lake less than 15 feet deep. Greenleaf Lake is primarily managed for Bluegill and Walleye and secondarily for Black Crappie and Largemouth Bass. The management plan calls for stocking Walleye fry at a rate of 1,000 fish/littoral acre in odd years. Recent stocking events include fry in 2019, 2021, and 2023. Periodic winterkills were common before the installation of an aerator in 1983. Since that time, winterkills had not been a factor until 2019 when a near complete winterkill took place. High levels of phosphorus have contributed to poor water quality and extensive algae blooms that result in poor water quality. The lack of aquatic vegetation remains a challenge for managing stable game fish populations. Greenleaf Lake was surveyed the week of 8 July 2024 as part of a regular monitoring program conducted by the Minnesota DNR. This survey was intended to assess the fish community by deploying 6 gill nets, 9 trap nets, and 44 minutes of boat electrofishing as well as recording water quality parameters. A total of 480 Bluegills were sampled with trap nets for a catch rate of 53.3/net. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 3.3/net to 142.0/net with an average of 34.2/net. Bluegills ranged from 3.3 to 8.3 inches with an average of 7.1 inches. Bluegills were aged using scales and otoliths and ranged from 1 to 5 years old with 5 year-classes present. Three and four year old Bluegills accounted for approximately 80% of the sample. A total of 5 Walleyes were sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 0.8/net. Walleyes ranged from 12.0 to 16.5 inches. Walleye were abundant in trap nets during the 2021 survey and it is not clear what caused numbers to drastically decline between surveys. Yellow Perch were the most common non-bullhead species sampled with gill nets in 2024. A total of 440 Yellow Perch ranging from 5.6 to 9.1 inches were sampled for a catch rate of 73.3/net. Broodstock Yellow Perch were stocked in 2019, and natural reproduction has been successful. Black Bullheads dominated the gill net catches in 2024. A total of 705 were sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 117.5 per net which was a decrease from 202.4/net in 2021. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 8.0/net in 1994 to 274.0/net in 1985 with an average of 111.2/net. Bullheads ranged from 4.7 to 15.9 inches with an average of 7.7 inches. Black Bullheads thrive in unstable and hypereutrophic systems like Greenleaf Lake. Even with the aerator, the fish community will likely remain dominated by tolerant species such as Black Bullheads and Common Carp. A total of 28 Common Carp ranging from 7.5 to 26.5 inches were sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 4.7/net. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 0.0/net in 1985 to 48.3/net in 2006 with an average of 11.5/net. Like Black Bullheads, Common Carp are adept at surviving in lakes like Greenleaf Lake. Unfortunately, efforts to reduce populations of Common Carp and Black Bullhead have largely been unsuccessful in lakes like Greenleaf Lake. It is also possible that aeration allows them to remain at high numbers when they would otherwise suffer losses during winterkills. Thirty-two Largemouth Bass were sampled with boat electrofishing for a catch rate of 43.7/hour. The 2023 catch rate was slightly lower than the 2021 catch rate of 52.6/hour. Largemouth Bass ranged from 4.3 inches to 15.2 inches and averaged 7.5 inches. Other species sampled in 2023 include Golden Shiner and White Sucker. Anglers can play an important role in maintaining or improving a fish population by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest allows for the harvest of smaller fish for consumption, while encouraging the release of medium to large fish that may contribute to natural recruitment. This practice helps maintain balance in the fish community and provides anglers the opportunity to catch more and larger fish in the future. Additionally, smaller fish often taste better and have fewer contaminants than larger, older fish from the same water body. Shoreline property owners also play an important role in the overall health of an aquatic ecosystem, including the fish population. Natural shorelines, including vegetation, woody debris, and bottom substrates, provide valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, help maintain water quality, and reduce bank erosion. By leaving natural shorelines unaltered or restoring them to natural conditions, shoreline property owners are doing their part to maintain or improve a healthy ecosystem in the lake and protect the resource for future generations. -Tyler Fellows, fisheries specialist

Greenleaf Lake is a 302-acre lake located approximately 3.5 miles southwest of the town of Montgomery in Le Sueur County. The DNR-owned public access is located on the northeast shore off County Road 140. Greenleaf Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet, with approximately 87% of the lake less than 15 feet deep. Greenleaf Lake is primarily managed for Bluegill and Walleye and secondarily for Black Crappie and Largemouth Bass. The management plan calls for stocking Walleye fry at a rate of 1,000 fish/littoral acre in odd years. Recent stocking events include fry in 2019 and 2021. Periodic winterkills were common before the installation of an aerator in 1983. Since that time, winterkills had not been a factor until 2019 when a near complete winterkill took place. High levels of phosphorus have contributed to poor water quality and extensive algae blooms that result in poor water quality. The lack of aquatic vegetation remains a challenge for managing stable game fish populations. Greenleaf Lake was surveyed the week of 28 June 2021 as part of a regular monitoring program conducted by the Minnesota DNR. This survey was intended to assess the fish community by deploying 5 gill nets and 9 trap nets, as well as recording water quality parameters. A total of 135 Bluegills were sampled with trap nets for a catch rate of 15.0/net. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 3.3/net to 142.0/net with an average of 31.4/net. Bluegills ranged from 3.3 to 8.3 inches with an average of 4.7 inches. Bluegills were aged using scales and otoliths and ranged from 1 to 7 years old with 5 year-classes present. The 1 year old age-group accounted for approximately 67% of the sample. Bluegill sampled were likely the result of fish stocked in 2021. A total of 25 Walleyes were sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 5.0/net. Trap net catches of Walleye were very high at 26.1/net. Walleyes were believed to be eating the young of the year Black Bullheads in shallow water which caused the high trap net numbers. Walleyes ranged from 7.8 to 14.5 inches. All Walleye sampled were from the 2019 fry stocking. Yellow Perch were the most common non-bullhead species sampled with gill nets in 2021. A total of 382 Yellow Perch ranging from 5.5 to 9.8 inches were sampled for a catch rate of 96.4/net. Broodstock Yellow Perch were stocked in 2019. It appears that Yellow Perch have had successful spawns in 2019 and 2020 as there are high numbers of fish in these year classes. These large year classes should provide food as the 2019 year class of Walleyes continues to grow. Black Bullheads dominated the gill and trap net catches in 2016. A total of 1,619 were sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 269.8/net. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 8.0/net in 1994 to 274.0/net in 1985 with an average of 103.1/net. Lengths ranged from 4.5 to 14.4 inches with an average of 7.2 inches. Black Bullheads thrive in unstable and hypereutrophic systems like Greenleaf Lake. Even with the aerator, the fish community will likely remain dominated by tolerant species such as Black Bullheads and Common Carp. Common Carp were the second most abundant species in the gill nets. A total of 31 fish ranging from 7.5 to 26.5 inches were sampled for a catch rate of 5.2/net. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 0.0/net in 1985 to 48.3/net in 2006 with an average of 13.0/net. Like Black Bullheads, Common Carp are adept at surviving in lakes like Greenleaf Lake. To demonstrate this point, approximately 80% of the total weight of fish sampled with gill nets was Black Bullheads and Common Carp. Unfortunately, efforts to reduce populations of Common Carp and Black Bullhead have largely been unsuccessful in lakes similar to Greenleaf Lake. It is also possible that aeration allows them to remain at high numbers when they would otherwise suffer high losses during winterkills. The only other species sampled in 2016 was White Sucker. Anglers can play an important role in maintaining or improving a fish population by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest allows for the harvest of smaller fish for consumption, while encouraging the release of medium to large fish that may contribute to natural recruitment. This practice helps maintain balance in the fish community and provides anglers the opportunity to catch more and larger fish in the future. Additionally, smaller fish often taste better and have fewer contaminants than larger, older fish from the same water body. Shoreline property owners also play an important role in the overall health of an aquatic ecosystem, including the fish population. Natural shorelines, including vegetation, woody debris, and bottom substrates, provide valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, help maintain water quality, and reduce bank erosion. By leaving natural shorelines unaltered or restoring them to natural conditions, shoreline property owners are doing their part to maintain or improve a healthy ecosystem in the lake and protect the resource for future generations. -Tyler Fellows, fisheries specialist

Introduction Greenleaf Lake is a 302 acre lake located approximately 3.5 miles southwest of the town of Montgomery in Le Sueur County. The DNR-owned public access is located on the northeast shore off of County Road 140. It has a maximum depth of 19 feet, with approximately 87% of the lake classified as littoral area. It is placed in Lake Class 38, which includes other Waterville Area lakes such as Ballantyne Lake (Blue Earth County), Bass Lake (Faribault County), Hunt Lake (Rice County), and Horseshoe Lake (Le Sueur County). Greenleaf Lake is primarily managed for Bluegill and Walleye and secondarily for Black Crappie and Largemouth Bass. The management plan calls for stocking Walleye fry at a rate of 1,000 fish/littoral acre in odd years. Recent stocking events include a mix of fry, fingerlings, yearlings, and adults in 2011 and fry only in 2013 and 2015. Periodic winterkills were common before the installation of an aerator in 1983. Since that time, winterkills have not been a factor. High levels of phosphorus have contributed to poor water quality and extensive algae blooms that result in poor water quality. The lack of aquatic vegetation remains a challenge for managing stable game fish populations. Greenleaf Lake was surveyed the week of June 27, 2016 as part of a regular monitoring program conducted by the Minnesota DNR. This survey was intended to assess the fish community by deploying 6 gill nets and 7 trap nets, as well as recording water quality parameters. Bluegill A total of 67 Bluegills were sampled with trap nets for a catch rate of 9.6/net. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 3.3/net in 1987 to 142.0/net in 2011 with an average of 34.2/net. Lengths ranged from 2.8 to 7.9 inches with an average of 3.9 inches. Fish ranged from 1 to 4 years old with 4 year-classes present. The 1 year old year-class accounted for approximately 88% of the sample. The lack of larger and older fish was concerning but the presence of a large age-1 year-class suggests that the Bluegill population will recover without interference. Walleye A total of 26 Walleyes were sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 4.3/net. Walleye numbers have increased in recent years and this represents the highest catch rate since 1984. Before 2013, catch rates averaged just 1.0/net. Lengths ranged from 10.1 to 23.1 inches with an average of 17.4 inches. Seven additional Walleyes ranging from 9.8 to 11.7 inches were sampled with trap nets. Fish from both gears ranged from 1 to 7 years old with 4 year-classes present. On average, fish reached 15.0 inches around 2 years old, indicating fast growth relative to other area lakes. Collectively, the 2013 and 2015 year-classes that represent fry-stocked years comprised 94% of the sample. Overall, fry stocking events in 2013 and 2015 appeared to be responsible for the increase in Walleye numbers in recent years. Black Crappie Black Crappie numbers reached an all-time low in 2016 with 5 fish sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 0.8/net. Since 1984, catch rates have been erratic with 4 samples below 5.0/net and 4 samples above 40.0/net with an overall average of 28.7/net. Black Crappie populations are notoriously unstable and the wide range in catch rates collected from Greenleaf was considered typical. One 13.0 inch fish was 5 years old, indicating fast growth potential. That potential coupled with the displayed resilience in past surveys, suggests that the Black Crappie population will rebound without supplementation. Largemouth Bass A boat electrofishing sample targeting Largemouth Bass was postponed until 2017 due to time constraints. Despite their ability to avoid capture in net gears, a total of 39 Largemouth Bass were sampled with gill and trap nets in 2016. Lengths ranged from 5.0 to 20.6 inches with an average of 10.0 inches. Fish from both gears ranged from 1 to 15 years old with 4 year-classes present. Only one fish was older than 3 years old. The electrofishing sample scheduled for 2017 will more effectively sample the Largemouth Bass population and likely provide a larger sample size to analyze. Yellow Perch Yellow Perch were the most common non-bullhead species sampled with gill nets in 2016. A total of 59 fish ranging from 4.6 to 9.6 inches were sampled for a catch rate of 9.9/net. Since 1984, Yellow Perch numbers have been unstable with 5 samples falling below 1.0/net and 5 samples exceeding 9.0/net with an overall average of 7.3/net. An additional 52 fish ranging from 4.2 to 6.2 inches were sampled with trap nets for a catch rate of 7.3/net. Yellow Perch remained an important prey species in Greenleaf Lake in 2016. Black Bullhead Black Bullheads dominated the gill and trap net catches in 2016. A total of 1,619 were sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 269.8/net. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 8.0/net in 1994 to 274.0/net in 1985 with an average of 103.1/net. Lengths ranged from 4.5 to 14.4 inches with an average of 7.2 inches. Black Bullheads thrive in unstable and hypereutrophic systems like Greenleaf Lake. Even with the aerator, the fish community will likely remain dominated by tolerant species such as Black Bullheads and Common Carp. Common Carp Common Carp were the second most abundant species in the gill nets. A total of 31 fish ranging from 7.5 to 26.5 inches were sampled for a catch rate of 5.2/net. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 0.0/net in 1985 to 48.3/net in 2006 with an average of 13.0/net. Like Black Bullheads, Common Carp are adept at surviving in lakes like Greenleaf. To demonstrate this point, approximately 80% of the total weight of fish sampled with gill nets was Black Bullheads and Common Carp. Unfortunately efforts to reduce populations of Common Carp and Black Bullhead have largely been unsuccessful in lakes similar to Greenleaf. It is also possible that aeration allows them to remain at high numbers when they would otherwise suffer high losses during winterkills. Other Species The only other species sampled in 2016 was White Sucker. Anglers can play an important role in maintaining or improving a fish population by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest allows for the harvest of smaller fish for consumption, while encouraging the release of medium to large fish that may contribute to natural recruitment. This practice helps maintain balance in the fish community and provides anglers the opportunity to catch more and larger fish in the future. Additionally, smaller fish often taste better and have fewer contaminants than larger, older fish from the same water body. Shoreline property owners also play an important role in the overall health of an aquatic ecosystem, including the fish population. Natural shorelines, including vegetation, woody debris, and bottom substrates, provide valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, help maintain water quality, and reduce bank erosion. By leaving natural shorelines unaltered or restoring them to natural conditions, shoreline property owners are doing their part to maintain or improve a healthy ecosystem in the lake and protect the resource for future generations. -Sky Wigen, Fisheries Specialist

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

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

Greenleaf has a maximum depth of 19 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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