Spring

Spring Lake is a small lake that supports a panfish and pike community along with a few Walleyes. On 07/31/2023, the fish community of Spring Lake was surveyed. Results of the 2023 lake assessment indicate that the lake holds fair numbers of panfish such as Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Yellow Perch. Bluegill numbers have been increasing, but the size structure of individuals remains on the small side with an average length of five inches. Black Crappie captured during the survey ranged from seven to 11 inches. Yellow Perch averaged six inches in length. Predatory fish like Northern Pike and Walleye were also present although they are naturally not as abundant as their prey. Pike numbers were up in 2023 and the average size was good as well, with an average length of 24 inches. The modest Walleye fishery is sustained by stocking since Walleye do not reproduce naturally in this lake due to the lack of acceptable spawning and rearing habitat. Only five Walleye were captured in the 2023 assessment and these fish averaged a little over 19 inches. No Largemouth Bass were captured during the 2023 survey, but this is a common occurrence with the sampling gear that was used. Even with good growth rates, moderate amounts of fishing pressure in a small lake like Spring can keep the average sizes of fish small unless anglers release a portion of the larger fish back into the lake. Due to its location in an area with fewer permanent fishing lakes, Spring Lake receives a moderate or higher amount of angling pressure. The lake's size and proximity to the city of Lengby make input of sediment and nutrients from human activities a concern. Although the lakeshore is not as heavily developed, a 134-acre lake like Spring cannot sustain large nutrient loads without experiencing algal blooms and other symptoms of nutrient enrichment. Watershed residents need to be aware that what they do on their lands may affect water quality in the lake. Maintaining or improving the lake's current water quality and habitat conditions can benefit all users of this lake.

A targeted survey of nearshore species in Spring Lake was conducted July 6th, 2023, by Detroit Lakes Fisheries Staff. The survey consisted of 10 sampling stations evenly spaced around the lake. All stations were sampled with a backpack electrofishing unit, four stations were sampled with a 50-foot seine, and two stations were sampled with a 15-foot seine. Three stations were not sampled with a seine because of dense vegetation, water being too deep or muck being too thick to effectively use a seine. Nearshore sampling captured 12 species of native fish, which included two species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish and Iowa Darter) and two species that are tolerant of disturbance (Green Sunfish and Fathead Minnow). The three most common species captured during the nearshore survey in order of abundance were: Largemouth Bass, Johnny Darter, and Banded Killifish. The nearshore fish survey data was combined with the standard survey data from July 31st, 2023, to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to a watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. Spring Lake is located in the Poplar River Watershed.

Spring Lake is a small lake that supports a native bass, panfish, and pike community along with a few Walleyes. Results of the 2014 lake assessment indicate that the lake holds fair numbers of panfish such as Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Yellow Perch. Predatory fish like Northern Pike, Walleye and Largemouth Bass are also present although they are naturally not as abundant as their prey. Pike numbers were up in 2014 and the average size was good, as well, with a mean length of 24.4 inches and mean weight of 3.3 pounds. The modest Walleye fishery is sustained by stocking since Walleye do not reproduce naturally in this lake due to the lack of acceptable spawning and rearing habitat. Even with good growth rates, in a small lake like Spring moderate amounts of fishing pressure can keep the average sizes of fish small unless anglers release a portion of the larger fish back into the lake. Due to its location in an area with fewer permanent fishing lakes, Spring Lake receives a moderate or higher amount of angling pressure. The lake's size and proximity to the city of Lengby make input of sediment and nutrients from human activities a concern. Although the lakeshore is not as heavily developed as those of many larger lakes, a 134-acre lake like Spring cannot sustain large nutrient loads without experiencing algal blooms and other symptoms of nutrient enrichment. Watershed residents need to be aware that what they do on their lands may affect water quality in the lake. Maintaining or improving the lake's current water quality and habitat conditions can benefit all users of this lake.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, and Hybrid Sunfish in Spring. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Spring has a maximum depth of 35 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Spring is from 2023.

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