Hawksnest

Hawks Nest is a shallow, 282 acres lake located three miles east of Ivanhoe in southwest Minnesota. Due to the shallow and productive nature of the lake, it is prone to winterkill. The latest winterkill occurred during the winter of 2000/2001. This winterkill apparently eliminated yellow perch from the lake. An abundant population of perch ranging from 5-13 inches was sampled in 1998. However, no perch were sampled during the 2002 survey. Black bullhead and fathead minnows were the only fish species sampled during the 2002 survey. The majority of bullhead measured less than eight inches, but good numbers measuring 10-11.5 inches were also caught. Anglers interested in pursuing black bullhead would likely find suitable numbers of quality sized fish. Fisheries management plans include using Hawks Nest Lake for walleye rearing in 2003. Approximately 1.4 million walleye fry will be stocked in the spring of 2003. Walleye fingerlings will be harvested and stocked in other statewide lakes during the fall. A fishable population of 12-16 inch walleye should also result within Hawks Nest Lake if winterkill does not occur for one or two consecutive years.

Hawks Nest Lake is a shallow marshy lake located in Lincoln County in southwestern Minnesota. The lake provides marginal fisheries habitat and is vulnerable to winterkill. Its fish community has historically been comprised of species tolerant of low winter oxygen levels. In 1998, yellow perch and black bullhead were abundant. Five ages of yellow perch were sampled, and over thirty percent of the adults were longer than 11 inches. Although some large black bullhead were present, the majority of them were too small to attract much angler interest.

Hawks Nest Lake is a shallow, marshy lake with marginal fisheries habitat located in Lincoln County in southwestern Minnesota. According to past survey reports, it has gone dry during drought periods. A limited amount of winter oxygen data collected during recent years suggests partial winter kills occur on a frequent basis. Fish species tolerant of low winter oxygen levels were most abundant during a 1993 population assessment. These were yellow perch, black bullhead, white sucker, fathead minnow, and brook stickleback. Yellow perch were moderately abundant. The majority of them weighed less than 1/4 pound, but fish weighing about 1/2 pound were also present. Black bullhead were also moderately abundant and a good selection of sizes were present up to about 1 pound. An appropriate fish community displaying reasonable population attributes appears to have existed for the past several years at Hawks Nest Lake. Winter aeration is not recommended because water levels would probably be too low during many winters for it to be successful, and moderate populations of yellow perch and black bullhead have persisted despite winters of low oxygen levels. These species are well suited for the present habitat conditions. If a total winterkill of yellow perch occurred, a reintroductory stocking would probably be appropriate.

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

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

Hawksnest has a maximum depth of 7.3 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Hawksnest is from 1998. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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