Black Duck

Black Duck Lake is located approximately 10 miles north of the city of Orr. Black Duck is a productive class 5 lake with 1,250 surface acres and a maximum depth of 30 feet. Approximately 498 acres (40%) are less than 15 feet deep. Secchi depth during the 2022 survey was 10 feet, but the lake is prone to algae blooms that reduce clarity during the growing season. The outlet is the source of the Black Duck River, a tributary to the Ash River. There is a very diverse and healthy plant population, with both submergent and emergent vegetation. Boulder, rubble, gravel, and sand were the most common shoal water substrates. Excellent spawning habitat was reported for Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, and Bluegill. Centrarchids, Northern Pike, Walleye, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch represent the majority of a very diverse fish community. Current fishing regulations on Black Duck Lake for Walleye follows the statewide regulation. Northern Pike are in the Northeast Zone regulation. Black Crappie fishing regulation follows the statewide regulation. There is a special regulation reduced bag limit on Sunfish, which is set at a 10 fish daily limit. Smallmouth Bass fishing regulation are in the Northeast Zone regulation. This targeted spring nighttime electrofishing for Smallmouth Bass was conducted in 2023, as part of the completion of the standard survey conducted in 2022. Reported net catches were from the 2022 survey. Black Crappie trap-net catch rate was 1.7 fish per net, which was below average for similar lakes. Total length ranged from 3.9 to 13.9 inches and the mean length was 10.5 inches. Mean weight was 0.8 pounds, which was above average for similar lakes. A total of six year classes were present, and ages ranged from 2-8 years. Black Duck Lake offers a good fishing opportunity with quality Black Crappie in the system. Bluegill trap-net catch rate was 2.3 fish per net which is well below average for similar lakes. Total length ranged from 3.8 to 9.4 inches and the mean length was 7.0 inches. Mean weight captured in trap nets was 0.4 pounds which was above average for similar lakes. A total of six year classes were present, and ages ranged from 1 - 7 years. Black Duck Lake offers a good fishing opportunity with quality Bluegill in the system. Smallmouth Bass abundance was 233.4 fish per hour of On-Time, which was greater than the Black Duck Lake historic average of 231.3 fish per hour of On-Time. Total length ranged from 2.8 to 19.1 inches and the mean was 9.2 inches. Average weight was 0.3 pounds. Fourteen year classes were present, and ages ranged from 2-17 years. Black Duck Lake offers a good fishing opportunity with quality Smallmouth Bass in the system. Northern Pike gill net catch rate was 3.4 fish per net, which is above the average for similar class lakes. Catch rate was above the management goal of 3.2 fish per net for Black Duck Lake. Total length ranged from 19.3 to 35.1 inches and the mean length was 26.4 inches. Mean weight of Northern Pike captured in gill nets was 4.7 pounds which is well above average for similar lakes. Historically, growth rates for Northern Pike in Black Duck Lake have been some of the highest in the International Falls management area, which was true again in 2022. A total of five year classes were present, and ages ranged from 1 - 7 years. Black Duck Lake offers good fishing opportunities for Northern Pike. With a lower density population there may not always be a fish on the line but there is a really good chances to catch Northern Pike in the mid-30" range. Walleye gill net catch rate was 7.8 fish per net which is above average for similar lakes. Catch rate was above the management goal of 5.0 fish per net for Black Duck Lake. Total length ranged from 7.8 to 28.8 inches and mean length was 16.4 inches. Average weight was 1.8 pounds which is above average for similar class lakes. A total of 13 year classes were present, and ages ranged from 2-20 years. There are good numbers of Walleyes in Black Duck Lake, with the chance to catch Walleye over 26 inches. Black Duck Lake offers a good Walleye fishing opportunity. Yellow Perch gill-net catch rate was 56.7 fish per net, which well above the average for similar lakes. Total length ranged from 2.7 to 12.9 inches and the mean length was 7.5 inches. Mean weight was 0.2 pounds, which is above average for similar lakes. Yellow Perch can offer an additional fishing opportunity but also offer great forage for Walleye and Northern Pike.

Black Duck Lake is located approximately 10 miles north of the city of Orr. Black Duck is a productive class 5 lake with 1,250 surface acres and a maximum depth of 30 feet. Approximately 498 acres (40%) are less than 15 feet deep. Secchi depth during the 2022 survey was 10 feet, but the lake is prone to algae blooms that reduce clarity during the growing season. The outlet is the source of the Black Duck River, a tributary to the Ash River. There is a very diverse and healthy plant population, with both submergent and emergent vegetation. Boulder, rubble, gravel, and sand were the most common shoal water substrates. Excellent spawning habitat was reported for Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, and Bluegill. Centrarchids, Northern Pike, Walleye, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch represent the majority of a very diverse fish community. Current fishing regulations on Black Duck Lake for Walleye follows the statewide regulation. Northern Pike are in the Northeast Zone regulation. Black Crappie fishing regulation follows the statewide regulation. There is a special regulation reduced bag limit on Sunfish, which is set at a 10 fish daily limit. Smallmouth Bass fishing regulation are in the Northeast Zone regulation. Black Crappie trap-net catch rate was 1.7 fish per net, which was below average for similar lakes. Total length ranged from 3.9 to 13.9 inches and the mean length was 10.5 inches. Mean weight was 0.8 pounds, which was above average for similar lakes. A total of six year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 2-8 years. Black Duck Lake offers a good fishing opportunity with quality Black Crappie in the system. Bluegill trap-net catch rate was 2.3 fish per net which is well below average for similar lakes. Total length ranged from 3.8 to 9.4 inches and the mean length was 7.0 inches. Mean weight captured in trap nets was 0.4 pounds which was above average for similar lakes. A total of six year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 1 - 7 years. Black Duck Lake offers a good fishing opportunity with quality Bluegill in the system. Night electrofishing for Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass was not conducted in 2022 but will be conducted in spring 2023. Northern Pike gill net catch rate was 3.4 fish per net, which is above the average for similar class lakes. Catch rate was above the management goal of 3.2 fish per net for Black Duck Lake. Total length ranged from 19.3 to 35.1 inches and the mean length was 26.4 inches. Mean weight of Northern Pike captured in gill nets was 4.7 pounds which is well above average for similar lakes. Historically, growth rates for Northern Pike in Black Duck Lake have been some of the highest in the International Falls management area, which was true again in 2022. A total of five year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 1 - 7 years. Black Duck Lake offers good fishing opportunities for Northern Pike. With a lower density population there may not always be a fish on the line but there is a really good chances to catch Northern Pike in the mid-30" range. Walleye gill net catch rate was 7.8 fish per net which is above average for similar lakes. Catch rate was above the management goal of 5.0 fish per net for Black Duck Lake. Total length ranged from 7.8 to 28.8 inches and mean length was 16.4 inches. Average weight was 1.8 pounds which is above average for similar class lakes. A total of 13 year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 2-20 years. There are good numbers of Walleyes in Black Duck Lake, with the chance to catch Walleye over 26 inches. Black Duck Lake offers a good Walleye fishing opportunity. Yellow Perch gill-net catch rate was 56.7 fish per net, which well above the average for similar lakes. Total length ranged from 2.7 to 12.9 inches and the mean length was 7.5 inches. Mean weight was 0.2 pounds, which is above average for similar lakes. Yellow Perch can offer an additional fishing opportunity but also offers great forage for Walleye and Northern Pike.

Blackduck Lake is located about 9 miles north of Orr, MN. The lake is 1,250 acres and 40 percent is less than 15 feet deep. Bass, Northern Pike, panfish, Walleye, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch represent the majority of a very diverse fish community. Early investigations of Blackduck Lake indicated an unbalanced fish community with low predator abundance and extremely high forage abundance. Efforts to reshape the community have included Northern Pike and Walleye stocking beginning in 1956 and White Sucker and Yellow Perch removal from 1965-1966. In 2017, Black Crappie abundance was below the expected range for this lake type. Four year-classes were present and the age ranged from 2-6 years. The largest crappie captured in the 2017 fisheries investigation was 12.8 inches. Bluegill abundance was below the expected range for this lake type. Mean weight was within the expected range and the rate of growth was exceptionally fast. The largest Bluegill captured during the survey was 9.9 inches. Northern Pike abundance was within the expected range for this lake type. The mean weight was 5.55 pounds, which was much greater than the top of the expected range (3.70 pounds) for this lake type. The average length captured was 27.4 inches with a range from 16.4 to 38.2. Historically, growth rates for Northern Pike in Blackduck Lake have been some of the highest in the International Falls management area, which was true again in 2017. Smallmouth Bass were abundant and should provide great fishing. Fish up to 18.4 inches were caught and the average was 8.0 inches. The average weight was about a half pound. Walleye abundance was above the expected range for this lake type and the second highest level observed in Blackduck Lake in several decades. Length ranged from 7.3 to 28.0 inches and the average was 14.4. Ten year-classes were present and age ranged from 1-15 years. The 2013 year-class represented 37% of the sample and should continue to provide anglers with good Walleye fishing. Yellow perch were abundant; about 2 times higher than the top of the normal range for this lake type. Although, abundance was high in 2017, this level is not unheard of in Blackduck Lake and at times abundance has been much higher. In 2017, the average size was 7 inches and perch up to almost 12 inches were captured.

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

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

Black Duck has a maximum depth of 30 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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