Pine Lawn

Pine Lawn Lake is a small (6.0 acre) impoundment of Deer Creek located just outside of the Town of Grand Meadow in Mower County. A county park located on the southeast side of the lake provides ample shore fishing opportunities and also provides a gravel boat ramp that could accommodate small watercraft. Pine Lawn Lake provides a unique fishing opportunity in an area of Minnesota that has very few lakes. Shoreline angling opportunity will be enhanced in 2013 as a fishing pier will be constructed in the park. Pine Lawn Lake is stocked periodically with adult bluegill and black crappie to provide additional angling opportunity. The sport fish community is comprised of black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. A population assessment was conducted on 9-4-2012 to monitor the status of the fish populations using 6 trap nets. Water quality at Pine Lawn Lake was poor during the assessment. Pine Lawn Lake is situated in a predominantly agricultural landscape resulting in a high amount of nutrient input. The water was turbid (secchi depth of 1.5 feet) and appeared brown/green, likely the result of runoff and algae. Dissolved oxygen was good ranging from 11.9 ppm at the surface to 10.0 ppm at 4 feet of depth. Pine Lawn Lake is a panfish dominated system as they comprised nearly 90% of the catch. White crappies were the most abundant panfish and were captured at a rate of 42.5/trap net which is high compared to catch rates in similar lakes. This was the highest white crappie catch rate ever documented on Pine Lawn Lake and was slightly over two times greater than the catch rate observed in the 2007 assessment. White crappie size structure was average, with fish ranging from 5.0 to 11.8 inches in length and averaging 7.1 inches. Large white crappies were present but limited with only 6% of them being greater than 10.0 inches long. Hybrid sunfish were second most abundant and were captured at a rate of 22.7/trap net. Previous surveys (1992, 1997, and 2007) had catch rates of hybrid sunfish at or near 0.0/trap net. The hybrid sunfish were small with nearly 75% of them being less than 6.0 inches in length. Many appeared to be a cross between bluegill and green sunfish. Bluegill catch rates increased to 15.0/trap net, up from the previous 1.2/trap net observed in the 2007 survey. Catch rates prior to 2007 had also been low, typically being around zero. Bluegills were small, ranging in length from 2.8 to 7.1 inches and averaging 5.2 inches. Historically, black crappie catch rates have been variable, ranging from 0.7/trap net in 1982 to 27.4/trap net in 1997. The 2012 black crappie catch rate fell within this range as they were captured at a rate of 14.3/trap net which is relatively high when compared to similar lakes. Black crappie size structure was average with fish ranging in length from 3.4 to 11.9 inches and averaging 6.6 inches. Large black crappies were present but limited, with only 9% of them being greater than 10 inches long. Historically, black bullheads occurred in high abundance, but in the last two surveys (2007 and 2012) catch rates have been less than 1.0/trap net. Largemouth bass were capture at a rate of 2.5/trap net which was high when compared to similar lakes. Largemouth bass are not effectively sampled with trap nets, so this catch rate may indicate an abundant largemouth bass population. Common carp, golden redhorse, green sunfish, and white sucker were present but occurred in low numbers.

Pine Lawn is a small (6 acre) reservoir of Deer Creek, located one mile east of Grand Meadow, with a maximum depth of 8 feet. A fishery population assessment was conducted on Pine Lawn in late August 2007. The trap nets show a relatively low density fishery. Black crappie averaged 4.5 per trap net and were evenly distributed between 6.5 - 10 inches. White crappie were most numerous at 17 per trap net, but most were small, 7.5 - 8 inches, with a few larger individuals, 10 - 11.5 inches. Black bullhead declined from 42 per trap net in 1997 to 1 per trap net in 2007. Other species present include white sucker, rock bass, bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass, and green sunfish.

Fish species composition and relative abundance in Pine Lawn Lake in 1997 was similar to previous investigations. Black bullhead were most abundant (43 fish/net). This is within the normal range for lake class 42. Black crappie were also abundant (27 fish/net). Mean length was 7.1 in with several individuals exceeding 10 in TL. White crappie were also present, though in lower numbers (8 fish/net). Abundance of both crappie species was above average for the lake class. The only other species occurring in fishable numbers was white sucker (9 fish/net). Electrofishing was done along the entire shoreline of the lake. However, no gamefish were collected. A single largemouth bass was collected in a trapnet indicating that the species is present. Electrofishing efficiency is likely very low in Pine Lawn Lake. The lake drops-off fairly quickly from the shore. Cover is also lacking and fish may simply run ahead of the boat and avoid capture. The abundance of small black bullheads is indicative of low predator abundance. In the presence of a healthy largemouth bass population, bullhead abundance is typically low. Bluegills were also absent from Pine Lawn Lake. This may be due to a lack of aquatic vegetation and a limited littoral area. The lake is simply better suited to black and white crappie which utilize the pelagic zone of the lake. Pine Lawn Lake provides angling for black and white crappie along with black bullhead and white sucker. These are not "glamour" species, however they provide fishing in an area with few angling opportunities.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target White Crappie, Black Crappie, Hybrid Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass, and Green Sunfish in Pine Lawn. 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 Pine Lawn. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Pine Lawn has a maximum depth of 8 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Pine Lawn is from 2012. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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