Cedar

Cedar Lake is a shallow (maximum depth of 7.0 ft.), 710-acre lake located near Trimont in Martin County. Cedar Lake has two basins (North Cedar and South Cedar) that are separated by a road, but connected by a large culvert that allows fish passage. Cedar Lake has a history of winterkill, with the most recent occurring during the winter of 2013-2014. Cedar Lake's connectivity to other waterbodies (Fish Lake, Buffalo Lake, Little Twin Lake, several small wetlands) during high water events allows fish to repopulate the lake relatively quickly following a winterkill, and provides favorable spawning habitat for Northern Pike. Cedar Lake is managed primarily for Northern Pike and secondarily for crappie, Walleye and Yellow Perch. Cedar Lake was surveyed the week of June 6, 2022 to monitor fish populations using three gill nets and 12 trap nets. Cedar Lake has historically been a productive Northern Pike fishery, as catch rates have varied from 0.0 per gill net in 2014 (following a winterkill) to 16.7 per gill net in 2004, and have averaged 6.5 per gill net since 1986. In 2022, the Northern Pike catch rate was 7.0 per gill net, which is near the upper end of the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (1.1 to 8.0 per gill net). Northern Pike ranged in length from 17.7 to 31.5 inches and averaged 24.4 inches. While the Northern Pike population in Cedar Lake is sustained mostly through natural reproduction in connected lakes and wetlands, supplemental stocking has occurred sporadically when extra Northern Pike are available (2014 and 2021). Mean relative weight of Northern Pike was 80, indicating that pike are in good condition and are foraging successfully. Cedar Lake is within the "southern zone" of the Northern Pike zone regulations, so two Pike longer than 24 inches can be harvested. Northern Pike under 24 inches must be released. The 2022 Walleye catch rate was 3.7 per gill net, which is within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (2.3 to 18.1 per gill net), but was a decrease from the 2018 catch rate of 9.3 per gill net. Historically, Walleye catch rates have varied from 3.3 per gill net in 2014 to 9.3 per gill net in 2018, and have averaged 5.5 per gill net since 1995. Three year classes of Walleye were sampled including Walleye from the 2015, 2018, and 2020 year classes. 2020 was a non-stocked year for all lakes in Minnesota due to COVID limitations, thus the 2020 year class was from natural reproduction. Growth of Walleye in Cedar Lake is fast when compared to Walleye growth in other similar lakes across Minnesota, as mean length at age-2 was 12.9 inches and at age-4 was 17.9 inches. Along with fast growth, condition of Walleye was good, as mean relative weight was 89, suggesting that prey resources are abundant. The management goal of providing a secondary Walleye fishing opportunity has been achieved through stocking Walleye fry every other year (2022, 2024, 2026…). Yellow Perch catch rates have steadily declined from 49.0 per gill net in 2010, to 31.3 per gill net in 2014, to 13.0 per gill net in 2018. The decline continued in 2022 as the catch rate of Yellow Perch was 2.7 per gill net, which is below the long term average of 21.0 per gill net and is near the lower end of the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (2.6 to 25.0 per gill net). Lengths of Yellow Perch ranged from 5.6 to 11.5 inches and averaged 7.1 inches. Condition of Yellow Perch was good, as relative weight was 89, suggesting that prey is available. Cedar Lake's Black Crappie population has been highly cyclical, where catch rates were low for several years (lower than 5.0 per trap net; 1986 to 1995), then high for several years (higher than 23.0 per trap net; 2000 to 2010), then low again for a few years (2014 to 2018). Cedar Lake Black Crappie appear to be in the uptick of the cycle, as the 2022 catch rate was 19.6 per trap net, which exceeds the long term average of 13.9 per trap net, and is near the upper end of the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (1.2 to 20.5 per trap net). Lengths of Black Crappie ranged from 5.2 to 13.1 inches and averaged 7.9 inches. Black Crappie that were 10.0 inches or larger comprised 25 percent of the sample and should provide a great fishery. Black Crappie condition was high, as mean relative weight was 99, indicating that they are foraging successfully. White Crappie catch rates have been highly variable, ranging from 0.3 per trap net in 2014 to 50.2 per trap net in 1986, averaging 10.3 per trap net since 1986. The 2022 White Crappie catch rate was 4.9 per trap net, which is near the upper end of the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (0.3 to 5.9 per trap net). White Crappie lengths ranged from 6.4 to 14.1 inches and averaged 11.4 inches. Cedar Lake provides a unique opportunity, as 67 percent of the White Crappie were 12.0 inches or larger. Mean relative weight of White Crappie was high at 88, suggesting that food is available. The 2022 Black Bullhead catch rate was 182.7 per gill net, exceeding the long-term average of 107.0 per gill net and exceeding the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (30.3 to 150.6 per gill net). Lengths of Black Bullhead ranged from 4.8 to 12.6 inches and averaged 7.4 inches. The Common Carp catch rate was the highest ever recorded on Cedar Lake at 41.0 per gill net. Lengths of Common Carp ranged from 10.3 to 30.6 inches and averaged 14.9 inches. Based on the lengths of the Common Carp in the gill net it would appear that a majority of them sampled were from 1 year class of fish. Channel Catfish have still not been sampled since the winterkill of 2013-2014. Other species sampled included Bigmouth Buffalo, Bluegill, Freshwater Drum, Golden Shiner, White Sucker, Quillback, and Yellow Bullhead.

Nearshore fish community sampling (hereafter IBI sampling; seine, backpack electrofishing) was conducted August 13, 2018 to assess the reproductive capacity of the fish community and the overall health of the nearshore community in Cedar Lake in Martin County. Backpack electrofishing and seining was conducted at 14, 100 ft. long stations around the perimeter of Cedar Lake. The seine hauls captured 13 species of fish, including Johnny Darter (N=5), Bigmouth Shiner (N=1), Black Bullhead (N=50), Black Crappie (N=51), Blackside Darter (N=1), Bluntnose Minnow (N=17), Fathead Minnow (N=12), Freshwater Drum (N=17), Golden Shiner (N=7), Orangespotted Sunfish (N=49), Spotfin Shiner(N=17), Walleye (N=1), and Yellow Perch (N=9). Electrofishing captured 18 species of fish including Johnny Darter (N=1), Bigmouth Buffalo (N=1), Bigmouth Shiner (N=1), Black Bullhead (N=2), Blackside Darter (N=2), Bluegill (N=1), Bluntnose Minnow (N=11), Common Carp (N=33), Emerald Shiner (N=1), Fathead Minnow (N=49), Freshwater Drum (N=1), Green Sunfish (N=87), Largemouth Bass (N=6), Orangespotted Sunfish (N=8), Spotfin Shiner (N=4), Walleye (N=3), Yellow Bullhead (N=1), and Yellow Perch (N=3). Natural Reproduction exists for some of the species in Cedar Lake, as young-of-the-year Black Bullhead, Black Crappie, Freshwater Drum, and Yellow Perch were sampled. The types of species and their respective abundances in nearshore IBI sampling will be used to determine the overall health of Cedar Lake. The IBI score will provide insight into the quality of habitat and water within the lake and can indicate problems within the watershed that could adversely affect the fish community.

Cedar Lake is a shallow, 710-acre lake that has a maximum depth of 7.0 ft. and is located 1 mile west of Trimont in Martin County. Cedar Lake consists of two basins (North and South Cedar) that are separated by a road and connected by a large culvert that allows fish passage. Cedar Lake has a history of winterkill, with the most recent occurring during the winter of 2013-2014. Cedar Lake's connectivity to other waterbodies (Fish Lake, Buffalo Lake, Little Twin Lake, several small wetlands) during high water events allows fish to repopulate the lake relatively quickly following a winterkill and also provides favorable habitat for Northern Pike. Because of Cedar Lake's susceptibility to winterkill and favorable Pike habitat, the lake is managed primarily for Northern Pike and secondarily for crappie, Walleye and Yellow Perch. Cedar Lake was surveyed the week of June 4, 2018 to monitor fish populations using three gill nets and nine trap nets. Northern Pike catch rates in Cedar Lake have ranged from 0.0 per gill net in 2014 to 16.7 per gill net in 2004. In 2018, the Northern Pike catch rate was 4.0 per gill net, which is within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (1.1 to 8.0 per gill net). Lengths of Northern Pike ranged from 22.8 to 30.8 inches and averaged 25.4 inches. The Northern Pike population in Cedar Lake sustains itself through natural reproduction in connected lakes and wetlands, as the only stocking event in the last decade occurred in 2014, following the partial winterkill. A strong 2018 year class may be present in the system, as many young-of-the-year Northern Pike were observed during the 2018 Walleye fingerling harvest on Buffalo Lake, a connected waterbody. Cedar Lake is within the "southern zone" of the new Northern Pike zone regulations, so two Pike 24 inches or longer can be harvested. Northern Pike under 24 inches must be released. The Walleye catch rate in 2018 was 9.3 per gill net, which is within the expected catch rate for similar lakes (2.3 to 18.1 per gill net), and was the highest Walleye catch rate ever recorded at Cedar Lake. Lengths of Walleye ranged from 12.3 to 26.0 inches and averaged 18.9 inches. Growth of Walleye was fast, with average lengths at age-1, age-2, and age-3 being 10.0, 14.1, and 16.9 inches, respectively. Sixty two percent of sampled Walleye were from the 2014 year class, which were stocked following the winterkill of 2013-2014. Age-2, age-3, age-5, and age-8 Walleye were also sampled, and all corresponded to stocking events except the 2015 year class (age-3) which likely moved into Cedar Lake from Fish Lake at Odin, which was stocked with adult Walleye in 2017. Cedar Lake provided a prime example of the positive impacts that a winterkill can have. Typically, Walleye fry stocked the spring after a substantial winterkill event will do very well, which was the case with the strong 2014 year class that was produce in Cedar Lake. Anglers have reaped the benefits of this strong year class of Walleye, as great fishing has been reported since 2016, and should continue into the near future. The Yellow Perch catch rate in 2018 was 13.0 per gill net, a decrease from 31.3 per gill net in 2014, but within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (2.7 to 25.0 per gill net). Lengths of Yellow Perch ranged from 5.6 to 9.1 inches and averaged 7.9 inches. The abundant 2014 Walleye year class is likely controlling or decreasing Yellow Perch abundance through predation; however, a fishable population of Yellow Perch is still present. The Black Crappie catch rate in 2018 was 4.2 per trap net, an increase from the 2014 catch rate of 2.6 per trap net and within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (1.2 to 20.5 per trap net). Lengths of Black Crappie ranged from 6.9 to 10.2 inches and averaged 8.2 inches. White Crappie were captured at a rate of 5.7 per trap net, which is high when compared to similar lakes (6.0 per trap net). White Crappie lengths ranged from 7.6 to 11.9 inches and averaged 9.2 inches. Fishable populations of Black and White Crappie exist in Cedar Lake, and populations should continue to increase in abundance as they continue to recover from the 2013-2014 winterkill. The catch rate of Black Bullhead in 2018 was 293.0 per gill net, with lengths ranging from 5.2 to 12.1 inches and averaging 7.3 inches. Cedar Lake would be a good place to go if you are looking to pull some bullheads out of that cool spring water. The Freshwater Drum catch rate in 2018 was 18.0 per gill net which is the highest recorded catch rate for this lake. Other species sampled included Bigmouth Buffalo, Common Carp, White Sucker, Yellow Bullhead, Golden Shiner, and Green Sunfish. Channel Catfish were present before the winterkill of 2013-2014, but were not sampled in the 2014 and 2018 surveys.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, White Crappie, Black Crappie, Walleye, and Green Sunfish in Cedar. 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 Cedar. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Cedar has a maximum depth of 7 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Cedar is from 2022.

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