Circle

Circle Lake is an 838-acre lake located in Rice County northeast of Shieldsville. The lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. There are three islands on Circle Lake, one of which is designated as an Aquatic Management Area by the MN DNR. A DNR-maintained public access is located on the northwest end of the lake. A public fishing pier is located just east of the public access. The shoreline of Circle Lake is developed on about half of the lake, primarily on the east shoreline. Aquatic vegetation and woody debris, like fallen trees, near the shore are abundant in Circle Lake and provide valuable fish habitat. Circle Lake is managed primarily for Walleye, Northern Pike, and Largemouth Bass and secondarily for Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Yellow Perch. Circle lake experienced a significant winterkill during the winter of 2022/2023. In the event of a winterkill, managed fish species will be stocked at adult stages. Circle Lake has been designated as a Tier-II lake in the Waterville area and future surveys will be conducted every six years. Circle Lake is designated as an infested water due to the presence of Eurasian water-milfoil. First discovered in Circle Lake in 2011, Eurasian water-milfoil limits recreational activities by forming dense mats on the water surface and disrupts aquatic ecosystems by competing with and displacing native plants. Eurasian water-milfoil is spread primarily by the introduction of plant fragments, which can easily be transported by boaters. Always be sure to clean all aquatic plant material and drain all water from boats, trailers, and equipment before leaving the lake access. Circle Lake was surveyed the week of 12 June 2023 by the MN DNR as part of a regularly scheduled monitoring program. This survey included deploying four gill nets and eleven trap nets. During the past two decades Bluegill have occurred at relatively low abundance as catch rates rarely exceeded 10.0/trap net. In 2023, due to the winterkill, approximately 750 adult pre-spawn Bluegill were stocked into Circle Lake to rebuild the population. In 2023, the Bluegill relative abundance was 3.9/trap net, which was half of the historical average for Circle Lake, and equal to the median for class 43 lakes. In 2023, 300 Black crappies were stocked in Circle Lake after the winterkill. Black Crappies were not sampled in trap nets and were sampled in gill nets at a rate of 2.0/net. Past Black Crappie catch rates have been highly variable with trap net catch rates ranging from 0.0/trap net in 2001 to 57.2/trap net in 1988, and gill net catch rates ranging from 0.0/gill net in 2001 to 51.9/gill net in 1988. Black Crappies sampled in 2023 ranged in length from 4.1 to 8.6 inches and averaged 6.4 inches. Yellow Perch were captured at a rate of 13.0/gill net. Yellow Perch ranged from 4.7 to 7.1 inches total length with an average of 6.2 inches. Walleye fry were stocked into Circle Lake following the winterkill in 2023 at a rate of 250/Littoral acre, for a total of approximately 209,500 fry. Walleye were not sampled in 2023 using gill nets or trap nets. Northern Pike are tolerant of lower oxygen levels than some other species and persisted through the winterkill in 2023. The relative abundance of Northern Pike was 1.3/gill net. The historic average for Circle Lake is 2.8/gill net. Northern Pike averaged 22.3 inches in length and ranged from 12.2 to 28.7 inches total length. Twenty percent of Northern Pike sampled were greater than the southern zone minimum harvest size of 24 inches total length. Common Carp relative abundance in all gears has decreased since its peak in 2007. In gill nets, the catch rate was 0.3/gill net and in trap nets, the catch rate was 0.5/trap net in 2023. Common Carp size structure varied greatly, average length was 17.0 inches and lengths ranged 2.3 to 24.1 inches. Concern has been expressed by lake shore property owners that panfish numbers were not high enough in Circle Lake to suppress the carp population prior to the winterkill. The lake association has partnered with private entities and commercial fishermen to remove carp from the lake. Black Bullheads have historically been extremely abundant in Circle Lake; this was no different in 2023 post winterkill. Black Bullheads were sampled at a rate of 373.5/gill net and 43.6/trap net. Black Bullheads ranged in total length from 3.5 to 13.8 inches and averaged 7.8 inches total length. Other species captured in the nets, but occurring in low numbers include Bigmouth Buffalo, Freshwater Drum (sheepshead), Golden Shiner, hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed Sunfish and Largemouth Bass. Anglers can play an important role in maintaining or improving a fish population by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest allows for the harvest of smaller fish for consumption, while encouraging the release of medium to large fish that may contribute to natural reproduction. This practice helps maintain balance in the fish populations and provides anglers the opportunity to catch more and larger fish in the future. Additionally, smaller fish often taste better and have fewer contaminants than larger, older fish from the same water body. Shoreline property owners also play an important role in the overall health of an aquatic ecosystem, including the fish population. Natural shorelines, including vegetation, woody debris, and bottom substrates, provide valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, help maintain water quality, and reduce bank erosion. Cattails and bulrushes are particularly beneficial for fish spawning, rearing, and feeding. By leaving natural shorelines unaltered or restoring them to natural conditions, shoreline property owners are doing their part to maintain or improve a healthy ecosystem in the lake and protect the resource for future generations. -Tyler Fellows, fisheries specialist

Three trap nets were set at Circle Lake on 17 April 2023 to check for winterkill. Black Bullheads and Golden Shiner were the dominant species sampled. Other fish that occured in low numbers include Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, and White Sucker. No Bluegill, Black Crappie, or Walleye were observed.

Three trap nets were set at Circle Lake on 17 April 2023 to check for winterkill. Black Bullheads and Golden Shiner were the dominant species sampled. Other fish that occured in low numbers include Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, and White Sucker. No Bluegill, Black Crappie, or Walleye were observed.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Walleye, Pumpkinseed, Northern Pike, White Crappie, and Black Crappie in Circle. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Circle has a maximum depth of 14 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

Yes — Circle has confirmed Eurasian watermilfoil. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.