Budd

Located within the City of Fairmont in Martin County, the "Fairmont Chain of Lakes" is an impoundment of Center Creek which is a tributary to the Blue Earth River and includes, from upstream to downstream, Amber Lake (182 acres), Hall Lake (548 acres), Budd Lake (227 acres), Sisseton Lake (138 acres), and George Lake (83 acres). The lakes are managed primarily for Walleye and Muskellunge and secondarily for Yellow Perch, Bluegill, and Crappie. Muskellunge are a recently new introduction to the Fairmont Chain of Lakes with an initial stocking in 2016. Muskellunge provide an apex predator population and biological control for undesired species along with an additional angling opportunity. Spring sampling utilizing electrofishing and cooperation with the commercial fisherman (seining) was used to collect Muskellunge for data collection to determine size and health of Muskie in the chain-of-lakes. Muskie were first introduced to the Fairmont Chain of Lakes unsuccessfully in 1968 following a fish toxicant (rotenone) reclamation project in 1967. Those Muskie were stocked as fry (10,000 individuals estimated by weight) and typically do not survive well without proper nursery habitat. Since 1968, no Muskie were reported from that stocking. Additionally, the fish toxicant reclamation project had minimal success and undesirable species (Common Carp, Bigmouth Buffalo, Freshwater Drum, and Black Bullhead) continued to be abundant. Additionally, Yellow Bass were illegally introduced (most likely bucket stocked) in the Fairmont Chain of Lakes, with several first found in 2013, and have since established a self-sustaining population. To help control the undesirable fish populations and provide an additional angling opportunity, Muskellunge were re-introduced in 2016. Three hundred and fourteen Muskellunge fingerlings (over 10 inches but less than 15 inches) were stocked in 2016. The same number of Muskellunge were stocked again in 2018, 2021 (supposed to be 2020 but COVID-19 pandemic shut down egg-take operations), 2022, and 2024. Sampling, with large frame trap nets and electrofishing was first done during the spring of 2024. In 2024, zero Muskie were caught in large frame trap nets. Twelve Muskie were sampled in 12.7 hours of electrofishing for a catch rate of 0.95 Muskie per hour. One of the twelve Muskie was recaptured twice, so a total of 10 unique Muskie were sampled (fish are uniquely marked with PIT tags). Muskie sampled in 2024 averaged 38.4 inches with only 1 female Muskie (41 inches) and the rest male (average = 38.2 inches). In addition, 3 Muskie were caught by a commercial fisherman in Amber Lake and turned over to MN DNR to measure and release. Those 3 Muskie were 28.3 inches, 35.9 inches, and 36.3 inches. Sampling will continue throughout the entire Fairmont Chain of Lakes in 2025 and 2026. The Muskie population is still young and larger individuals should become part of the population over the next 5 to 10 years. In 2025, seven Muskie were sampled using daytime electrofishing for a duration of 6.8 hours, resulting in a catch rate of 1.03 per hour of electrofishing, very similar to the 2024 catch rate of 0.94 per hour. An additional five Muskie were captured by commercial seine hauls in Hall, Budd, and George lakes. Eleven unique Muskie were captured in 2025 (Sisseton=3, Budd=6, Hall= 2 and George = 1). One Muskie was observed while electrofishing on Budd Lake, but could not be dipped, and was included in the catch rate. Lengths of Muskie sampled in 2025 ranged from 12.0 inches to 46.0 inches and averaged 31.0 inches. Based on Pit Tag identification numbers, captured Muskie had been stocked in 2016, 2018, and 2024. No fish stocked in 2021 and 2022 were sampled in the 2025 survey.

Budd Lake is a 227-acre, class 24 lake, located within the City of Fairmont in Martin County, and is one of five lakes in a chain of lakes collectively known as the "Fairmont Chain of Lakes". The Fairmont Chain of Lakes is an impoundment of Center Creek which is a tributary to the Blue Earth River and includes, from upstream to downstream, Amber Lake (182 acres), Hall Lake (548 acres), Budd Lake (227 acres), Sisseton Lake (138 acres), and George Lake (83 acres). Budd Lake is managed primarily for Walleye and Muskellunge and secondarily for Yellow Perch, Bluegill, and Crappie. Muskellunge are a recently new introduction to the Fairmont Chain of Lakes with an initial stocking in 2016. Muskellunge provide an apex predator population and biological control for undesired species along with an additional angling opportunity. A survey was conducted the week of August 26, 2024, to monitor fish populations using 3 gill nets and 9 trap nets. WALLEYE As for most Minnesota Lakes, Walleye are the desired species of anglers and provide many angling hours. After a high catch rate of 17.5 per gill net in 1984, Walleye abundance has been low in Budd Lake ranging from 0.6 to 5.0 per gill net since 1989. Within in the last 10 years, Walleye relative abundance has been stable with 1.0 per gill net in each of 2017 and 2020. In 2024, the gill net catch rate increased to 2.3 per gill net, within the expected catch rate range for this type of lake. Additionally, the trap net catch rate was 2.4 per net in 2024, the most since sampling began in 1984. The total gill net and trap net catch was dominated by age-1 (N=9) and age-5 (N=4) year classes with only 1 in each for ages 2, 3, and 6. Walleye ranged in length from 10.4 inches to 24.3 inches with age-1 fish ranging from 10 to 12 inches and age-5 fish ranging from 18 to 21 inches. Walleye fry stocking may be showing promise as catch rates have also increased in other Fairmont Chain lakes since fry stocking started in 2019. Given that success, Walleye fry will continue to be stocked annually. Overall, the Fairmont Chain of Lakes is showing a resurgence as a decent Walleye angling location. Some of this resurgence can also be attributed to an increase in prey fish available. Several species of shiner were found during nearshore sampling on the Fairmont Chain of Lakes over the past 7 years. Good prey abundance has resulted in decent health. Continued presence and recovery of a reliable prey base should result in good Walleye abundance. Future monitoring will track Walleye in the Fairmont Chain of Lakes with a fish survey being done somewhere in the chain-of-lakes once every year. MUSKELLUNGE Muskellunge were first introduced to the Fairmont Chain of Lakes unsuccessfully in 1968 following a fish toxicant (rotenone) reclamation project in 1967. Those Muskellunge were stocked as fry (10,000 individuals estimated by weight) and typically do not survive well without proper nursery habitat (less than 1%). Since 1968, no Muskellunge were reported because of that stocking. It should be known that Muskellunge fry stocking is a strategy that is no longer used in MN. Additionally, the fish toxicant reclamation project had minimal success and undesirable species (Common Carp, Bigmouth Buffalo, Freshwater Drum, and Black Bullhead) continued to be abundant. Additionally, Yellow Bass were illegally introduced (most likely bucket stocked) in the Fairmont Chain of Lakes, with several first found in February of 2013, and have since established a self-sustaining population. To help control the undesirable fish populations and provide an additional angling opportunity, Muskellunge were re-introduced in 2016. Three-hundred-and-fourteen Muskellunge fingerlings (over 10 inches but less than 15 inches) were stocked in 2016 with 59 of 314 directly into Budd Lake. The same number of Muskellunge were stocked again in 2018, 2021 (supposed to be 2020 but COVID-19 pandemic shut down egg-take operations), 2022, and 2024. Sampling, with large frame trap nets and electrofishing, was first done during the spring of 2024. No Muskie were caught in large frame trap nets. Twelve Muskie were sampled in 12.7 hours of electrofishing for a catch rate of nearly 1 Muskie per hour. One of the twelve Muskie was recaptured twice, so a total of 10 unique Muskie were sampled. Muskie averaged 38.4 inches with only 1 female Muskie (41 inches) and the rest male (average = 38.2 inches). In addition, 3 Muskie were caught by a commercial fisherman in Amber Lake and turned over to MN DNR to measure and release. Those 3 Muskie were 28.3 inches, 35.9 inches, and 36.3 inches. Sampling will continue throughout the entire Fairmont Chain of Lakes in 2025 and 2026. The Muskie population is still young and larger individuals should become part of the population over the next 5 to 10 years. PANFISH (Including Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Crappies, and Yellow Bass) Yellow Perch, Bluegill, and Crappies (Black and White Crappie) are common panfish species in the Fairmont Chain of Lakes. During the 2024 survey, 85 Yellow Perch, 41 Bluegill, and Crappie (161 Black and 1 White Crappie) were caught in gill nets and trap nets. Yellow Perch and Black Crappie catch rates were within normal ranges while Bluegill and White Crappie catch rates were less than normal. Yellow Perch ranged in length from 5.4 to 9.4 inches, Bluegill ranged in length from 3.7 to 9.1 inches, and Black Crappie ranged in length from 5.5 to 12.1 inches. The size distribution of Yellow Perch was mainly smaller younger fish. While the fish tended to be smaller in size, the health or plumpness of each species was good. Additionally, Yellow Perch were re-stocked by the Fairmont Lakes Foundation in the spring of 2024, and it could have boosted the population with an increase of about 15 fish per gill net from 2020(11.0 fish/gn) to 2024 (24.7/gn). Since Yellow Bass have become established in the Fairmont Chain of Lakes there has been concern that Yellow Perch, Bluegill, or Black Crappie would be outcompeted for resources, but it appears that they are able to thrive thus far. Currently, Yellow Bass (Length range 5.94 to 10.12 inches with a mean of 7.66 in gill nets and 8.02 in trap nets) are the most abundant panfish in Budd Lake with a catch rate of 47.0 per gill net and 1.0 per trap net. Additional survey work on the other lakes in the chain, and a repeat survey in 2028 on Budd Lake will continue to shed light on the potential interactions among panfish species. An excellent angling opportunity exists on the Fairmont Chain of Lakes for all panfish species. Starting in 2025, Yellow Bass will have a regulation of 30 per day. Local staff are working on implementing a special regulation that may go into effect in spring 2026 that will increase the limit to 100 per day. A series of public input meetings will be held in 2025 to determine public support for this regulation change. OTHER SPECIES Eighteen species were sampled in total in gill nets, trap nets, and electrofishing indicating a unique multi-species fishery exists in the Fairmont Chain of Lakes. Non-managed species (not stocked) sampled in 2024 were Black Bullhead (N=4), Bigmouth Buffalo (N=2), Channel Catfish (N=12), Common Carp (N=23), Freshwater Drum (N=170), Hybrid Sunfish (N=1), Quillback Carpsucker (N=6), White Sucker (N=5), and Yellow Bullhead (N=4). Of the species listed above, Freshwater Drum were observed greater than the normal range while Yellow Bullhead were observed less than the normal range.

Walleye have been managed for many years in the Fairmont chain-of-lakes. Past stockings have included Walleye fry, fingerling, yearlings, and adults. Essentially, whatever life stage of Walleye was available they would be stocked into the lakes. However, since 2019 the Fairmont chain-of-lakes has been stocked with Walleye fry from the Lake Sarah egg take operation. Other southwest Minnesota lakes saw good success when Walleye fry were stocked in the spring of 2023. Therefore, daytime electrofishing was conducted in September to determine if Walleye fry stocking was successful on Sisseton Lake, Budd Lake, and Hall Lake. One 15 minute station was done on each lake. Twenty-seven age-0 Walleye were captured on Sisseton (N=16), Hall (N=5), and Budd (N=6) Lakes. Catch rates varied; 57.6 per hour on Sisseton Lake, 22.9 per hour on Budd Lake, and 20.0 per hour on Hall Lake. However, the overall catch rate for the chain-of-lakes after 45 minutes of electrofishing was 36.0 per hour. It has been determined from previous Minnesota age-0 Walleye electrofishing that a fall electrofishing catch rate over 30 per hour has a good chance of resulting in a fishable year-class of Walleye for anglers 2 or 3 years later. Additionally, the average length of Walleye was 8.1 inches in Sisseton Lake, 8.2 inches in Budd Lake, and 7.9 inches in Hall Lake. When Walleye reach lengths exceeding 6 inches in their first year of growth, observations from other lakes indicate there is a good chance that they will survive the winter and avoid predation. A gill net and trap net survey was conducted on Sisseton Lake in August 2023 and age-0 fish were very abundant with 10 out of 14 caught in gill nets from the newly stocked 2023 year class. There is a great chance that the 2023 Walleye year-class on the Fairmont chain-of-lakes may result in a respectable population for anglers.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Channel Catfish, Walleye, Northern Pike, White Crappie, and Green Sunfish in Budd. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Budd has a maximum depth of 23 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Budd is from 2025.

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