Round

Round Lake (DOW# 49-0131-00; Lake Class 29) is a 104-acre lake located near Pillager, Minnesota. A privately owned public earth access is located on the north shore. Round has 1.53 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake is currently managed primarily for Largemouth Bass and Walleye and secondarily for Northern Pike and Black Crappie. A survey using trap nets was conducted in April of 2025, during and immediately following ice-out on Round. This survey was intended to assess the adult population of Northern Pike and Walleye while providing a sample of Bluegills from which age and growth could be evaluated. The average size of Northern Pike captured in 2025 was small at just over 17 inches, with the largest fish measuring 22 inches. Round has demonstrated the potential to produce fish over 30 inches in previous surveys. The presence of large Northern Pike is beneficial to the fish community, but these fish are vulnerable to overharvest, especially in small lakes like Round. Anglers can assist in improving the size structure by harvesting small fish and releasing large individuals. Walleye are stocked in even numbered years in Round. Lengths of Walleye captured in 2025 ranged from 19 to 26 inches and averaged 21.5 inches. This average size should not be compared to previous surveys since surveys conducted while Walleye are spawning tend to capture larger fish. This survey does, however, show that there are large Walleye present in Round. Bluegill measured between 3.6 and 9 inches, averaging 7.7 inches. Over 50 percent of fish exceeded 8 inches. Only one Bluegill exceeding 8 inches (2020) had been sampled prior to 2025. Ages ranged from 1 to 9 and growth appeared to be normal, as fish averaged 7.6 inches at age 7. Black Crappie ranged in length from 5.5 to 11.7 inches and averaged 8.8 inches. Ages taken in 2023 suggested that growth was generally slow with few fish growing well and attaining large sizes. Other fish species observed were Largemouth Bass and White Sucker.

A population estimate for Largemouth Bass was conducted in the spring of 2022 on Round Lake. Fish were captured via daytime electrofishing performed during five separate days from May 18 to June 15. A sampling effort consisting of angling took place June 17th in an attempt to provide an additional gear type and reduce sampling bias. All bass 10 inches or greater were netted and marked with a partial fin clip to identify recaptured fish and calculate the estimate. Electrofishing provided a sample of 275 measured fish and a catch rate of 68.6/hr. for bass 10 inches or larger. Angling produced a sample of 56 fish 10 inches or longer. Bass over 12 inches comprised 79.5% of the combined angling/electrofishing catch while fish over 16 inches accounted for 8.5% of the total. The largest bass sampled was 20.9 inches long. Mean length was 13.3 inches for electrofished bass and also 13.3 inches for angled fish. The population was estimated to be 1,078 bass (11.4/acre) that were 10 inches or longer. Spring population estimates for Largemouth Bass have been conducted in the past on three other similar size lakes, Moose, Pierz Fish and Green Prairie Fish. Moose Lake was estimated to contain 2,495 bass 10 inches or longer (19.3/acre). The estimate for Pierz Fish Lake was 1,982 bass 10 inches or longer (10.5/acre) and the Green Prairie population was estimated at 1,467 bass 10 inches or longer (8.1/acre). The results for Round Lake suggest the number of bass was within the range of those found on the three lakes previously studied. No other species of fish was netted during this population estimate. Electrofishing notes indicate that Bluegill and Black Crappie were fairly abundant until the end of May. Adult White Suckers were also common while good numbers of Yellow Perch were apparent during this period. Few perch exceeded 6 inches. Large numbers of Age 2 crappie were observed in mid-June.

Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff conducted an assessment of lakeshore habitat on Round Lake on Jul 01 2020, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 25 survey sites evenly spaced 100 meters around the lake. Assessments were made in three habitat zones: Shoreline Zone (the shore-water interface to the top of the natural bank), Shoreland Zone (land-ward from shoreline to development structure or 100 feet), and Aquatic Zone (lake-ward 50 feet of shoreline). The average lakewide habitat score was 92.9 (+/- 3.2) out of 100 possible. Approximately 76 percent of the sites were developed with a mean score of 91.0 (+/- 4.2), while undeveloped sites had a mean score of 98.9 (+/- 1.1).

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Hybrid Sunfish, and Pumpkinseed in Round. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Round has a maximum depth of 18 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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