Store

Store (Peterson) Lake is a 52-acre, eutrophic lake in eastern Polk county that is currently vulnerable to winterkill. The lake and its fish community have undergone dramatic changes since it was first surveyed in 1983. At the time of the 1983 survey, Store was not considered a winterkill lake. Water clarity was good and it contained a diverse and well-structured fish community, not typical of a lake that experiences frequent periods of low dissolved oxygen levels. Store Lake experienced a severe winterkill in the winter of 1993-1994. This winterkill was likely the result of lower water levels during that time period and increased nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed. Some illegal ditching activity that occurred in the mid-1980s probably contributed to these conditions. The illegal inlet and outlet ditches were subsequently plugged, but apparently not before severe damage was done. Only fish species tolerant of low oxygen conditions, such as bullheads, golden shiners, and yellow perch were captured during the 1994 survey. Test netting in 2009 showed that Store Lake now supports modest walleye and northern pike fisheries. Brown bullheads remained the most abundant species, but numbers have declined considerably in the past decade. Walleyes stocked as fry in 2004 were nearly as abundant as bullheads in 2009 and the average walleye size was a very acceptable 17.7 inches and 1.7 pounds. The highly variable fishery in Store Lake is a direct reflection of the decline in water quality and post-winterkill stocking. Water transparency has decreased from 12 feet in 1983 to four feet in 1999 and 2009, while phosphorus levels and nuisance algal blooms have increased. Prior to the degradation of water quality, this lake provided a popular fishery for abundant bluegills and large northern pike. Efforts to restore the northern pike and panfish populations will likely be ineffective unless trends in declining water quality can be reversed and the possibility of winterkill decreased. The history of this lake serves as a lesson that activities in a watershed can have drastic effects on lakes and their fish populations. Things that riparian owners and other watershed dwellers can do to protect water quality and fish populations include: (1) leaving wide shoreline buffer zones of unmowed vegetation, (2) leaving aquatic vegetation stands intact, especially bulrush and cattail, (3) participating in a Soil and Water Conservation District or Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Citizen Lake Monitoring Program, and (4) acquiring DNR permits for aquatic plant removal and shoreline alterations.

Store (Peterson) Lake is a 52 acre, hypereutrophic lake in eastern Polk county that is currently vulnerable to winterkill. The lake and its fish community have undergone dramatic changes since it was first surveyed in 1983. At the time of the 1983 survey, Store was not considered a winterkill lake. Water clarity was good and it contained a diverse and well-structured fish community, not typical of a lake that experiences frequent periods of low dissolved oxygen levels.Store Lake experienced a severe winterkill in the winter of 1993-1994. This winterkill was likely the result of lower water levels during that time period and increased nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed. Some illegal ditching activity that occurred in the mid-1980s probably contributed to these conditions. The illegal inlet and outlet ditches were subsequently plugged, but apparnetly not before severe damage was done. Only fish species tolerant of low oxygen conditions, such as bullheads, golden shiners, and yellow perch were captured during the 1994 survey.Test netting in 1999 showed that Store Lake continues to support a poor quality fishery. Brown bullheads and yellow perch again dominated the net catches. Catch rates of bullheads and perch are far above the normal range for this lake class, and continue to rise.Several walleyes from a 1994 reintroduction were sampled in 1999. Mean length and weight of these fish were 20.6 inches and 3.2 lbs, respectively. The walleye catch rate of 0.58 per trap net was within the normal range for similar lakes, and growth is above average. Walleye fingerlings were again stocked in 1999 at the rate of 1 lb per littoral acre. The success of future stockings is questionable, however, due to competition from the overabundant bullheads and yellow perch.The unfavorable fish community in Store Lake is a direct reflection of the decline in water quality. Water transparency has decreased from 12 feet in 1983 to 4 feet in 1999, while phosphorus levels and nuisance algal blooms have increased. Prior to the degradation of water quality, this lake provided a popular fishery for abundant bluegills and large northern pike. Efforts to restore the northern pike and panfish populations will likely be ineffective unless trends in declining water quality can be reversed and the possibility of winterkill decreased. The history of this lake serves as a lesson that activities in a watershed can have drastic effects on lakes and their fish populations. Things that riparian owners and other watershed dwellers can do to protect water quality and fish populations include: (1) leaving wide shoreline buffer zones of unmowed vegetation, (2) leaving aquatic vegetation stands intact, especially bulrush and cattail, (3) participating in a Soil and Water Conservation District or Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Citizen Lake Monitoring Program, and (4) acquiring DNR permits for aquatic plant removal and shoreline alterations.

Store Lake is currently vulnerable to winterkill. When Store Lake was initially survey by a DNR Fisheries crew in 1983, it was not considered a winterkill lake. Although water quality tests showed that the lake was relatively fertile, its water clarity and fish community were not typical of a lake that experiences frequent periods of low dissolved oxygen. Walleye, bluegill, northern pike, and yellow perch were common while the water transparency was 12.0 feet on July 5, 1983. Unfortunately, some illegal ditching occurred during the early to mid-eighties that may well have turned the tide on this lake. The ditches were plugged soon after their construction, but, the damage was already done. Now, eleven years after that first fish lake survey, the water level has decreased by nearly three and a half feet, water clarity has declined, phosphorus fertility and nuisance algal blooms have increased, and the lake suffered a heavy winterkill in 1994. Currently, bullheads and yellow perch dominate the fish community. No walleye or bluegill and only one northern pike were sampled in 1994. Only two additional fish species were found in 1994, white sucker and golden shiner. If there is a lesson to be learned from this, it is that our actions in a watershed, no matter how well intended, can have drastic effects upon lakes, rivers, wetlands, the animals that live in them, and the people who use them. It behooves us to thoroughly check the possible consequences of our actions before "jumping in" and risking long term damage to the environment.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Walleye, Yellow Perch, and Bluegill in Store. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Store has a maximum depth of 19 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Store is from 2009. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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