Mud

Skifstrom (Mud) Lake is a small (56 acres) eutrophic lake located about six miles north of the city of Cokato. It has a maximum depth of 65 feet and poor water quality. Secchi disk transparency was five feet and dissolved oxygen was good down to 21 feet. The aquatic plant community is sparse. Only ten species of emergent/submersed plants were identified with some submersed plants growing to a maximum depth of 11 feet. Coontail was the only species that was abundant and showed up in all transects. Curled pondweed abundance was low and found growing at or near the surface on less than 1% of the lake surface area. There is a public access and fishing pier located within the county park on the east side of the lake. Largemouth bass were sampled by daytime electrofishing on May 27, 2010. Thirty-six largemouth bass were sampled in 0.70 hrs of electrofishing for a catch rate of 52/hr, which is one and a half times the median value (36/hr) for lakes sampled during the day in the Montrose area. Largemouth bass ranged in length from 6 - 18 inches and averaged 12.3 inches and 1.1 lbs. Growth of largemouth bass was similar to the statewide average with largemouth bass reaching 12 inches by age 4. Anglers can expect good fishing for medium size largemouth bass with an occasional fish pushing 18 inches. The gill net catch of northern pike (3.3/gill net) was similar to the 2001 catch (2.0/gill net), but within the range of expected values for similar lakes. Northern pike sampled during the survey ranged from 23 - 32 inches and averaged 27 inches and 4.5 pounds. Northern pike growth appears to be faster than the statewide average with northern pike reaching 24 inches by age 3. Northern pike are not abundant, but the average size is good. Walleye were sampled for the first time in 2010 even though there is no history of walleye stocking ever occurring on the lake. The gill net catch of yellow perch (18.7/net) was above the range of expected values for similar lakes, however significantly lower than the peak years of 1983 (81/net) and 2001 (77/net). Yellow perch ranged in length from 5 - 8 inches and averaged 6.5 inches. Growth of yellow perch was similar to the statewide average with yellow perch reaching six inches by age 3. The black crappie catch (1.0/trap net) was lower than 2001 (4.8/trap net) and below the first quartile value for similar lakes. The black crappie population has been declining since the original survey in 1983. Black crappie sampled during the survey ranged from 6 - 10 inches and averaged seven inches. Growth of black crappie was similar to the statewide average with black crappie reaching eight inches by age 4. Based on catches, the crappie population does not appear to be very abundant. The bluegill catch (25.3/trap net) was lower than 2001 (33.9/trap net), but within the range of expected values for similar lakes. Bluegills sampled during the survey ranged from 3 - 8 inches and averaged six inches. Growth of bluegill was similar to the statewide average with bluegill reaching seven inches by age 5. Sunfish angling on Skifstrom Lake runs in cycles with a couple of years of good fishing with a respectable average size followed by a few years of slow fishing with a smaller average size. Right now, anglers can expect good fishing for sunfish with many keepers in the 7 - 8 inch range. Other species sampled during the survey included: black bullhead, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, central mudminnow, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, pumpkinseed sunfish, white sucker and yellow bullhead.

Skifstrom (Mud) Lake is a small (56 acres) eutrophic lake located about six miles north of the city of Cokato. It has a maximum depth of 65 feet and poor water quality. Secchi disk transparency was five feet and dissolved oxygen was good down to 21 feet. The aquatic plant community is sparse. Only ten species of emergent/submersed plants were identified with some submersed plants growing to a maximum depth of 11 feet. Coontail was the only species that was abundant and showed up in all transects. Curled pondweed abundance was low and found growing at or near the surface on less than 1% of the lake surface area. There is a public access and fishing pier located within the county park on the east side of the lake. Largemouth bass were sampled by daytime electrofishing on May 27, 2010. Thirty-six largemouth bass were sampled in 0.70 hrs of electrofishing for a catch rate of 52/hr, which is one and a half times the median value (36/hr) for lakes sampled during the day in the Montrose area. Largemouth bass ranged in length from 6 - 18 inches and averaged 12.3 inches and 1.1 lbs. Growth of largemouth bass was similar to the statewide average with largemouth bass reaching 12 inches by age 4. Anglers can expect good fishing for medium size largemouth bass with an occasional fish pushing 18 inches. The gill net catch of northern pike (3.3/gill net) was similar to the 2001 catch (2.0/gill net), but within the range of expected values for similar lakes. Northern pike sampled during the survey ranged from 23 - 32 inches and averaged 27 inches and 4.5 pounds. Northern pike growth appears to be faster than the statewide average with northern pike reaching 24 inches by age 3. Northern pike are not abundant, but the average size is good. Walleye were sampled for the first time in 2010 even though there is no history of walleye stocking ever occurring on the lake. The gill net catch of yellow perch (18.7/net) was above the range of expected values for similar lakes, however significantly lower than the peak years of 1983 (81/net) and 2001 (77/net). Yellow perch ranged in length from 5 - 8 inches and averaged 6.5 inches. Growth of yellow perch was similar to the statewide average with yellow perch reaching six inches by age 3. The black crappie catch (1.0/trap net) was lower than 2001 (4.8/trap net) and below the first quartile value for similar lakes. The black crappie population has been declining since the original survey in 1983. Black crappie sampled during the survey ranged from 6 - 10 inches and averaged seven inches. Growth of black crappie was similar to the statewide average with black crappie reaching eight inches by age 4. Based on catches, the crappie population does not appear to be very abundant. The bluegill catch (25.3/trap net) was lower than 2001 (33.9/trap net), but within the range of expected values for similar lakes. Bluegills sampled during the survey ranged from 3 - 8 inches and averaged six inches. Growth of bluegill was similar to the statewide average with bluegill reaching seven inches by age 5. Sunfish angling on Skifstrom Lake runs in cycles with a couple of years of good fishing with a respectable average size followed by a few years of slow fishing with a smaller average size. Right now, anglers can expect good fishing for sunfish with many keepers in the 7 - 8 inch range. Other species sampled during the survey included: black bullhead, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, central mudminnow, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, pumpkinseed sunfish, white sucker and yellow bullhead.

Mud Lake (also known as Skifstrom Lake) is located in west-central Wright County, five miles north of Cokato. The lake is small (55 acres), but with a maximum depth of 65 feet. The shoreline remains mostly undeveloped, with a county park comprising one quarter of the shoreline. The park contains a public boat access with limited parking. Fisheries staff manages Mud Lake primarily for northern pike and black crappie. In 2001, a fisheries survey was conducted that included electrofishing, gillnetting, trapnetting, shoreline seining, and a plant survey.Northern pike numbers appeared low for lakes similar to Mud Lake, and much lower than in 1989, when the lake was previously surveyed. Availability of spawning habitat may change with fluctuating water levels, and this may lead to variability in the pike population. Pike sampled in 2001 ranged in length from 20 to 29 inches. The catch rate of largemouth bass was high for the area, and several year classes were well-represented. Average size was 10.5 inches, while the largest bass sampled was 18.5 inches.The bluegill population appears average in terms of numbers, but with many large individuals. The majority of the fish sampled were larger than 7 inches, and several were nearly 9 inches. Black crappie catch was typical for lakes like Mud, and mean length was 8.5 inches. The catch rate of yellow perch was high; nearly all were 5.5 to 8 inches. Growth rates for all game fish species were similar to statewide averages.Other species sampled during the survey included bullhead (black, brown and yellow) sunfish (green, pumpkinseed, and hybrid), carp, bowfin and golden shiner.

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

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

Mud has a maximum depth of 65 feet and a mean depth of 20.5 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Mud is from 2010. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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