Blueberry

Blueberry Lake is a 125 acre lake located 7 miles south of Ely. The lake has one access which is a ramp on the outlet of the lake with the main lake located just upstream. Blueberry has a maximum depth of 6 feet and dark brown bog-stained water. On July 10, 2020 Blueberry Lake was thermally mixed with a surface temperature of 76 F and a bottom temperature of 75 F. Oxygen levels were adequate throughout the water column. Blueberry has been known to experience winterkills on occasion. The lake has three inlets, two of which drain local swamps and one that originates from Canary Lake to the west. Beaver dams in the inlets limit fish movement and the outlet flows to the Bear Island River. The entire lakeshore is in state or federal ownership however there are two private parcels on the lake's north tip that come close to touching the lakeshore. The overall gillnet catch rate for all fish combined was 29.0 fish/net which was the highest catch rate on record for Blueberry Lake. Fish species sampled were yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, brown bullhead, and bluegill. Trap nets caught fish at an overall rate of 22.1 fish/net which was also the highest catch rate on record for the lake. Additional fish species sampled in trap nets were black crappie, golden shiner, largemouth bass, and walleye. The northern pike gillnet catch was 9.5 fish/net which was second highest out of the five surveys on Blueberry and very good compared to other similar lakes. Lengths ranged from 10.5 to 22 inches with an average of 17 inches, which was the lowest average size on record for the lake. The max length was also the lowest on record for the lake. The bluegill trapnet catch was 6.4 fish/net which was the second highest on record for the lake and good compared to other similar lakes. Sizes were impressive with an average of 8 inches. Both the average and max length from this survey were on par with previous surveys on Blueberry Lake. Ages ranged from 4 to 9 years old with strong representation from the 2015 year class. On average, a four year old bluegill was 6.5 inches long, which was a good growth rate compared to other bluegill lakes in the Tower area. The black crappie trapnet catch was 4.8 fish/net which was good compared to other similar lakes and the highest on record for Blueberry. Lengths ranged from 4 to nearly 13 inches with an average of nearly 8 inches. This average length was slightly below the lakes historic average of 9 inches. The yellow perch catch rate was 13.0 fish/gill net which was above average compared to other similar lakes and similar to past surveys on Blueberry Lake. Sizes were generally small with a range of 3 to 10 inches and an average of 7.5 inches. This survey also sampled largemouth bass and brown bullhead officially for the first time in Blueberry Lake. Largemouth bass were reported in the past by local anglers but had not been sampled in DNR nets. The one nearly 26 inch walleye sampled in a trap net was the largest walleye caught in all surveys of Blueberry Lake.

Blueberry Lake is in Ecological Lake Class 17,which consists of 99 lakes in northeast Minnesota that are small, shallow, and have turbid and soft (unmineralized) water. Blueberry Lake ranks as eutrophic according to Carlson's Trophic State Index. Blueberry Lake was not thermally stratified on 06/04/2007, with a temperature of 65 F throughout the water column. Oxygen levels were at saturation to the bottom. Blueberry Lake has been known to winterkill on occasion. Blueberry Lake has three inlets, two of which drain local swamps and one that originates in Canary Lake (22 acres, 4 ft deep) 1/3 mile to the west. Beaver dams in the inlets limit fish movement. The outlet, which has no barriers to fish movement, is to the Bear Island River. Most of the land surrounding Blueberry Lake is in State or Federal ownership. A small parcel on the northern tip of the lake, west of the outlet, is privately owned and has a house on it. The public access is a gravel boat ramp on the east side of the outlet adjacent to the CSAH 120 bridge. Fish sampling in the 2007 fisheries lake survey was done with two gillnets, nine standard trapnets, and three small mesh (1/4" bar) trapnets used to sample small fish. Three previous fisheries investigations, dating back to 1965, used 2-3 gillnets and 6-7 standard trapnets. Shoreline seines were used in the 1965 investigation to sample small fish. Fish populations in 2007 were dominated by northern pike, white sucker, yellow perch, and bluegill sunfish. Black bullhead were captured in the small mesh trapnets in 2007, the first observation of this species in this lake and in this watershed. They are probably survivors of a "bait-bucket" introduction by anglers, and will likely spread to other lakes over time with potentially negative consequences. Largemouth bass have never been captured in DNR investigations on Blueberry Lake, but were reported to be present by a local angler in 2007. Northern pike numbers in 2007 (10.5/gillnet) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class and were higher than the median catch of 6.8/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Pike sizes in 2007 averaged 21.4" (2.0 lb), which was in the third quartile for this lake class. The largest pike was 27.0". Most of the pike captured in 2007 were ages 3-6. Pike growth was somewhat slower than normal (in the second quartile) by area standards. Perch numbers in 2007 (9.5/gillnet) were in the third quartile for this lake class and were similar to the median catch of 11.0/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Perch sizes in 2007 averaged 8.9" (0.35 lb), which was in the fourth quartile for this lake class. The largest perch was 11.8". Most of the perch captured in 2007 were age 4. Perch growth was faster than normal (in the fourth quartile) by area standards. Bluegill numbers in 2007 (7.6/trapnet) were higher than in previous investigations on this lake (range: 0.2-1.4/trapnet), perhaps due to the earlier date of trapnetting in 2007. Bluegill sizes in 2007 averaged 7.9" (0.51 lb), which was in the third quartile for this lake class. The largest bluegill was 11.1" (1.4 lb). Most of the bluegill captured in 2007 were age five. Bluegill growth was faster than normal (in the fourth quartile) by area standards. Black crappie numbers in 2007 (1.2/trapnet) were in the second quartile for this lake class and were similar to the median catch of 1.4/trapnet in all investigations on this lake. Crappie sizes in 2007 averaged 7.6" (0.31 lb), which was in the second quartile for this lake class. The largest crappie was 11.8". Crappie growth was faster than normal (in the fourth quartile) by area standards. Several large walleye (range: 19.5"-22.3") were captured in 2007. Similar numbers and sizes of walleye were captured in previous investigations on this lake. They were probably migrants from One Pine Lake, as spawning conditions for walleye in Blueberry Lake are very poor. A few of the game fish examined in 2007 were infected with neascus. One perch was infected with yellow grub. Neascus (black spot) and yellow grub are common parasites that are native to the area. They cannot infect humans, are often removed by filleting fish, and are killed at temperatures used to cook fish.

Fish populations are dominated by northern pike and white sucker, followed by yellow perch and black crappie. Low number of tadpole madtom, hybrid and bluegill sunfish, smallmouth bass and walleye are also present. Recruitment of northern pike and black crappie appears to be good. Growth of northern pike is average for the area, and growth of black crappie is above average.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Bluegill, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, and Walleye in Blueberry. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Blueberry has a maximum depth of 6 feet and a mean depth of 4 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Blueberry is from 2020.

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