Scott

Scott Lake, Wright County, is an 80 acre lake with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Alake survey conducted in 1997 sampled 14 species of fish. Scott Lake may bedescribed as a hard-water lake of good fertility and moderate water quality. Waterclarity as measured by secchi disk depth ranges from 1.0 to 4.4 feet in mid to latesummer. Adequate dissolved oxygen was sampled to a depth of 11 feet. It has alow diversity of aquatic plants growing in sparse beds around the lake.Scott Lake is managed primarily as a black crappie and northern pike fishery. However, since it has no public access, it is not managed in the same way as lakesthat do. Scott Lake has not been stocked since 1992, relying instead upon naturalreproduction and migration from other lakes in the Clearwater Chain. The lakesometimes suffers from low winter oxygen, and has experienced partial winterkills. Bullhead, carp, sucker and dogfish were commercially harvested in 1984. Samplesof the fish population were taken in mid summer using gill nets and trap nets. Game fish catches were poor for this type of lake; many species decreased comparedto previous surveys.Gillnets sampled 19 channel catfish for a catch rate of 4.8 per lift. Channelcatfish were last sampled in Scott Lake in 1986. The trapnet catch of 1.0 per setwas the first recorded. Catfish ranged in size from 15 to 27 inches, averagingabout 19 inches long. Of adults sampled, 92% were at least 16 inches, with 3.6%at least 24 inches long. There is no record of channel catfish having been stockedinto Scott Lake; they have probably entered from other lakes via the ClearwaterRiver.Catches of panfish were lower than expected for a lake of this type. Bluegillswere sampled in trapnets at a rate of 12.1 per set, below average but within thenormal range. No bluegill were sampled in gillnets, but this is not unusual. Bluegills ranged in size from 3 to 7 inches, averaging about 5.5 inches. About38.6% of the adults were larger than 6 inches. Black crappies were sampled at therate of 3.9 per trapnet set, below average but again within the normal range forlakes of this type. Historic catches of bluegill and black crappies have beenhighly variable.The survey sampled 18 northern pike, for a catch rate of 1.5 per gillnet lift and1.3 per trapnet set. The gillnet catch rate was below average, but within thenormal range for this lake type. Northern pike ranged in size from 18 to 28inches, with an average size of about 23.6 inches. All pike sampled were adults;87.5% were at least 21 inches long. Walleyes were sampled at the rate of 1.3 pergillnet lift and 0.2 per trapnet set. Walleye catch rates for both net types werebelow average, but within the normal range. Walleyes measured from 18 to 26inches, averaging about 21 inches long. All walleye sampled were at least 15inches long, with 57.1% at least 20 inches in length. Historic catches of bothwalleye and northern pike have been highly variable.

Scott Lake, Wright County, is an 80 acre lake with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Alake survey conducted in 1997 sampled 14 species of fish. Scott Lake may bedescribed as a hard-water lake of good fertility and moderate water quality. Waterclarity as measured by secchi disk depth ranges from 1.0 to 4.4 feet in mid to latesummer. Adequate dissolved oxygen was sampled to a depth of 11 feet. It has alow diversity of aquatic plants growing in sparse beds around the lake.Scott Lake is managed primarily as a black crappie and northern pike fishery. However, since it has no public access, it is not managed in the same way as lakesthat do. Scott Lake has not been stocked since 1992, relying instead upon naturalreproduction and migration from other lakes in the Clearwater Chain. The lakesometimes suffers from low winter oxygen, and has experienced partial winterkills. Bullhead, carp, sucker and dogfish were commercially harvested in 1984. Samplesof the fish population were taken in mid summer using gill nets and trap nets. Game fish catches were poor for this type of lake; many species decreased comparedto previous surveys.Gillnets sampled 19 channel catfish for a catch rate of 4.8 per lift. Channelcatfish were last sampled in Scott Lake in 1986. The trapnet catch of 1.0 per setwas the first recorded. Catfish ranged in size from 15 to 27 inches, averagingabout 19 inches long. Of adults sampled, 92% were at least 16 inches, with 3.6%at least 24 inches long. There is no record of channel catfish having been stockedinto Scott Lake; they have probably entered from other lakes via the ClearwaterRiver.Catches of panfish were lower than expected for a lake of this type. Bluegillswere sampled in trapnets at a rate of 12.1 per set, below average but within thenormal range. No bluegill were sampled in gillnets, but this is not unusual. Bluegills ranged in size from 3 to 7 inches, averaging about 5.5 inches. About38.6% of the adults were larger than 6 inches. Black crappies were sampled at therate of 3.9 per trapnet set, below average but again within the normal range forlakes of this type. Historic catches of bluegill and black crappies have beenhighly variable.The survey sampled 18 northern pike, for a catch rate of 1.5 per gillnet lift and1.3 per trapnet set. The gillnet catch rate was below average, but within thenormal range for this lake type. Northern pike ranged in size from 18 to 28inches, with an average size of about 23.6 inches. All pike sampled were adults;87.5% were at least 21 inches long. Walleyes were sampled at the rate of 1.3 pergillnet lift and 0.2 per trapnet set. Walleye catch rates for both net types werebelow average, but within the normal range. Walleyes measured from 18 to 26inches, averaging about 21 inches long. All walleye sampled were at least 15inches long, with 57.1% at least 20 inches in length. Historic catches of bothwalleye and northern pike have been highly variable.

STATUS OF THE FISHERY: Net catch data was compared to similar lakes across the state to assess relative abundance. The primary species sampled in Scott Lake were northern pike, black bullhead, yellow bullhead, bluegill, black crappie, yellow perch and walleye. The abundance of these species was similar to past surveys and catch rates were generally in the normal range for this type of lake. Scott Lake has not received any fish stocking since 1953, when it was stocked with walleye fingerlings. The only commercial removal of fish on record was in 1984 and included bullheads, white suckers, carp and bowfin. There is no public access on this lake. Northern pike catch rate of 4.25/gillnet was within the normal range for this lake type. Lengths of northern pike ranged from 17 to 30 inches, with the majority of fish being greater than 21 inches. Fish from ages 1 to 5 were represented in the sample, with age 2 fish being the most abundant. Natural reproduction of northern pike has been adequate in providing a relatively stable population. Gillnet catch rates have ranged from 1.0 to 8.4/gillnet since 1982. Walleye were captured at a rate of 0.50/gillnet, which is well below the normal range for this type of lake. Since no walleye have been stocked recently, it is likely that these fish moved into Scott Lake via the Clearwater River. Several lakes in the Clearwater River system are routinely stocked with walleye fry and fingerlings. Bluegill and black crappie were the most abundant panfish sampled in this survey. Trapnet catch rates for both bluegill (47.7/trapnet) and black crappie (24.2/trapnet) were in the normal range for this lake type. Both species were represented by individuals from ages 1 to 5, with the most abundant year class being age 2. The size structure of these species appears to be nearly ideal, having good numbers of quality size fish and a strong year class of smaller fish. Black crappie ranged in length from 3.5 to 10.5 inches. Bluegill ranged in length from 3.0 to 8.5 inches. Black bullhead, yellow bullhead and carp were present in low numbers during this survey. White suckers were captured at a rate of 9.75/gillnet. The abundance of white suckers may be influenced by movement of fish in the Clearwater River.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Channel Catfish, Walleye, Northern Pike, Pumpkinseed, and Green Sunfish in Scott. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Scott. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Scott has a maximum depth of 23 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Scott is from 1997. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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