West Two Rivers Reservoir

The West Two Rivers Reservoir (WTRR) is located two miles south of the town of Mountain Iron with its access via a concrete ramp on the northwest shore at the end of Co Rd 761. This 713 acre reservoir has a maximum depth of 27.0 feet and the water color at the time of the survey was green with an algae bloom. On June 17, 2013 the reservoir was thermally stratified with a surface temperature of 67F, and 50F at a depth of 19.0 feet. Adequate oxygen for fish was present to a depth of 13.5 feet. The overall gillnet catch rate for all fish combined was 68.3 fish/net, which is lower than the historic average of 108.4 fish/net. The overall trapnet catch rate for all fish combined was 135.7 fish/net, which is very close to the historic average. Black and brown bullheads made up 71% of the gillnet and 91% of the trapnet catches. The main gamefish sampled were northern pike and panfish. The northern pike gillnet catch rate was 5.5 fish/net which is better than half of other similar lakes throughout the state. The average weight was quite impressive at 4.3 lbs/fish. Average length was 25.0 inches which is the second highest on record for the reservoir. Lengths ranged from 13.0 to 39.0 inches with this survey capturing the largest pike specimen ever recorded on the lake. Growth was average when compared to other pike lakes in the Tower Fisheries Management Area. Ages ranged from 1 to 10 years old. Of 33 pike examined for diseases and parasites, 12 (36%) were infested with neascus (black spot). Forty seven black crappie were captured for a catch rate of 5.3 fish/trap net which is better than half of other similar lakes throughout the state. The average weight was 0.4 lb/fish and the average length was 8.0 inches which is the highest on record. Lengths ranged from 5.0 to 13.0 inches. Growth rates seem quite good when compared to other crappie lakes in the Tower Area. Ages ranged from 2 to 8 years old. No diseases or parasites were detected on any of the sampled black crappie. The yellow perch gillnet catch rate was 3.2 fish/net which is slightly below the lakes historical average. Average weight was 0.1 lb/fish which was somewhat small when compared to other similar lakes throughout the state. Lengths ranged from 6.0 to 8.0 inches with an average of 6.5 inches. Black bullhead gillnet and trapnet catches dominated both gear types and were extremely high when compared to other similar lakes throughout the state. Historically both of these catch rates have been quite high with an average gillnet catch rate of 72.5 fish/net and trapnet catch rate of 91.9 fish/net. Lengths ranged from 4.0 to 11.5 inches with an average of 7.5 inches. The brown bullhead catches were also fairly substantial: 5.3 fish/gill net and 22.7 fish/trap net. Lengths from the trap net caught fish ranged from 4.0 to 12.0 inches with an average of 10.0 inches, showing a very slight increase in sizes through time. Additional fish species sampled in trap nets included pumpkinseed, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, and golden shiner.

West Two Rivers Reservoir is in Ecological Lake Class 11, which consists of 49 lakes in northeast Minnesota that are small and have moderately hard (mineralized) water. West Two Rivers Reservoir is larger, has a more irregular shoreline, and has harder (more mineralized) water than typical for this lake class.West Two Rivers Reservoir was thermally stratified on 06/09/2003 with a surface temperature of 66 F and a bottom temperature of 52 F. Adequate oxygen for fish (more than 2 ppm) in the south central basin was present to a depth of 14 ft, where the temperature was 59 F. Oxygen levels in the old Pickerel Lake basin are typically poorer than in the south central basin, but were not tested in 2003. Known winterkills occurred in West Two Rivers Reservoir in 1968, 1974, and 1986, and low oxygen has been measured under the ice a number of times. This reservoir is fairly new, being created in the 1960's to supply the MinnTac taconite processing facility with water. Problems with water quality due to excessive nutrients may diminish over time.West Two Rivers Reservoir has five inlets draining local wetlands. The outlet, to the St. Louis River, has a dam with a 25 ft head. Shoal water substrates are mostly clay and sand. Aquatic plants grow to a depth of 8 ft; flatstem and narrowleaf pondweed, cattails, and burreed are the most common plants. Heavy algae blooms occur later in the summer.This fish population assessment consisted of two gillnet sets and nine trapnet sets. Previous investigations (1968, 1974, 1979, 1986, 1991) used 1-17 gillnets and 8-13 trapnets.Fish populations in 2003 were very high, due to very high numbers of black bullhead, high numbers of brown bullhead, northern pike, and white sucker, and good numbers of black crappie. Black bullhead were first observed in this reservoir in 1974, and their numbers peaked in the gillnets in 1979 at 600/net and in the trapnets in 1991 at 388/net. Black bullhead numbers in 2003 (72/gillnet, 83/trapnet) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class. Black bullhead sizes in 2003 averaged 6"; the largest was 8.5". The black bullheads captured in 2003 did not have the heavy infestation of skin parasites observed during commercial harvest of bullheads in the fall of 1992.Brown bullhead were first observed in this reservoir in 1974, and their numbers peaked in the gillnets in 1974 at 33/net and in the trapnets in 1991 at 68/net. Brown bullhead numbers in 2003 in the gillnets (2/net) were at the median for this lake class while their numbers in the trapnets (31/net) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class. Brown bullhead sizes in 2003 averaged 9"; the largest was 11.4".Northern pike were present in the initial investigation on this reservoir in 1968, and their numbers have been quite stable over time. Pike numbers in the gillnets in 2003 (7.5/net) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class and were similar to the median catch of 7.1/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Pike numbers in the trapnets in 2003 (1.3/net) were similar to the median catch of 1.2/trapnet in all investigations on this lake. The largest pike captured in 2003 was 30". Scales of pike captured in 2003 were difficult to read, and the results of the ageing analysis were too inconsistent to arrive at any conclusions about year class strength and growth.White sucker were present in the initial investigation on this reservoir in 1968, and their numbers in 2003 (17/gillnet and 5/trapnet) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class and were higher than in previous investigations on this lake. Sucker sizes in 2003 were larger than in previous investigations, averaging 17".Black crappie were first observed in this reservoir in the 1974 investigation, and their numbers peaked in the gillnets in 1979 and in the trapnets in 2003. Crappie numbers in 2003 (8.5/gillnet and 10.0/trapnet) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class. Crappies sizes in 2003 averaged 6"; the largest, caught in a trapnet, was 13.5".About half of the northern pike examined in 2003 were infected with neascus. Some of the perch had neascus and 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, and are killed at temperatures used to cook fish.

Fish populations are overwhelmingly dominated by very high numbers of small black bullhead and brown bullhead, followed by white sucker and pumpkinseed sunfish. Low numbers of yellow perch, northern pike, black crappie, green sunfish, and golden shiners were also captured. Northern pike and yellow perch numbers may be under represented due to no gillnets being set. Northern pike sizes are larger than average for the area. Bullheads and Centrarchidae sizes are very small.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Black Crappie, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, and Pumpkinseed in West Two Rivers Reservoir. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for West Two Rivers Reservoir. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

West Two Rivers Reservoir has a maximum depth of 27 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in West Two Rivers Reservoir is from 2013. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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