Ortonville Area Fisheries 2021 Fisheries Outlook - files
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Ortonville Area Fisheries
2021 Fisheries Outlook
The Ortonville Area Fisheries staff
oversees fisheries and habitat management
in Traverse, Big Stone, western Lac qui
Parle, western Swift, western Yellow
Medicine and northern Lincoln counties.
Popular lakes include Big Stone, Lac
qui Parle and Traverse. The Minnesota
River and many smaller lakes and streams
also provide numerous additional angling
opportunities. Due to the shallow,
productive nature of these lakes and
streams, fish grow fast and quality
populations of Yellow Perch, Walleyes,
Crappies, Freshwater Drum and White Bass
are common.
Fisheries staff routinely evaluate fish
populations in these lakes and streams
using gill nets, trap nets, seines and
electrofishing. The data are used by them
to make management decisions. The data
are also available to anglers in survey
reports which are useful for deciding where
to fish.The data presented here are from
the most recent surveys from 2018, 2019 or
2020 and should be indicative of the current
status of these fisheries.
Walleyes inch crappies can be common. Artichoke
has a high number of crappies, during the
Most lakes are routinely stocked with
last survey most were 7-9 inches. Larger
walleyes, however good natural reproduc
crappies are present, and at times anglers
tion does occur in several lakes and
do find them. Big Stone and Traverse have
streams. Walleyes are most abundant in
lower numbers of crappies, but angling for
Long Tom, Traverse, Long, East Toqua and
them can be good, especially in the spring.
Artichoke. Big Stone, Oliver and Lac qui
Parle also have quality populations. Alt Bluegills
hough “eater-sized” walleyes (13-17 inch
Bluegill populations are somewhat
es) are most common, plenty of larger
limited in the area, though numbers are in
walleyes can be found throughout the ar
creasing. Improved water clarity has led to
ea’s lakes. Walleyes are also present in the
increased vegetation in Big Stone and
Minnesota River and fishing for them can
Traverse. This has provided better bluegill
be very good, espe
habitat.
cially during spring In the last several years
and fall. bluegill have become an
important component of
Yellow Perch the fishery in Big Stone.
Yellow Perch In Traverse, bluegills
can be locally abundant.
angling is very In both lakes anglers
popular locally and have a chance to catch
there are numerous a trophy.
options. Big Stone is
a perennial favorite Largemouth and
with high numbers Smallmouth Bass
of perch, many from
Largemouth and
Smallmouth Bass
7-9. inches. Hen- numbers have increased
dricks is also a very substantially in the area
good perch fishery during recent years. Big Stone is
and good numbers of large perch have been becoming known for its quality
present during recent years. If smaller lakes Largemouth Bass fishing. Increased
are preferred, try your luck in East Toqua, vegetation has led to better survival
Steep Bank or Perch. Yellow Perch grow fast and recruitment of bass. Growth is fast
in these lakes and many have good and many bass over five pounds are
numbers of 9-10 inch fish. caught. Smallmouth Bass are present
Crappies in Traverse and Oliver. Traverse has a
substantial amount of rock and Oliver
While walleyes and Yellow Perch are has abundant flooded timber, cover
fairly ubiquitous in the area, fishable popu types that commonly hold bass.
lations of crappies and bluegills are not. An
exception is Lac qui Parle which has been a
crappie “factory” for many years. When the
bite is on, good catches of 12 and 13
Northern Pike Big Stone and Hendricks. Both species
can routinely be caught from many
Although Northern Pike are
reaches of the Minnesota River. These
somewhat limited in the area, those
species are very good to eat and they
present grow very fast. Hendricks,
continue to become more popular with
Traverse, Artichoke and Lac qui Parle
anglers. Their flavor can be improved
have the most pike with decent num
by bleeding them prior to cleaning (cut
bers over 30 inches. Big Stone, Perch
through their gills when on a stringer
and Del Clark have lower pike num
or in the live-well), by keeping the
bers, but catches of pike over 40 inch
slime from getting on the meat during
es are reported every year.
filleting, and by trimming away the
Catfish and Bullhead reddish “mud-line” flesh from the
outer edge of the fillets. Excellent
Lac qui Parle, Traverse, and the
recipes for preparing drum can be
Minnesota
located on
River all have
the
high num
internet by
bers of Chan
searching
nel Catfish.
"drum
Catfish grow
recipes”.
fast and fish
longer than
30 inches are
sampled eve- Lake
ry year. Most lakes Sturgeon
have low numbers of bullheads but
Lake Sturgeon were historically
Big Stone and Lac qui Parle have de
present in Big Stone Lake but had dis
cent numbers of large bullheads.
appeared by around 1950 likely due to
Black, Yellow, and Brown Bullheads
winterkill, summerkill and barriers to
are all present in the area.
migration. Lake Sturgeon were rein
Freshwater Drum and White Bass troduced in 2014 and 4,000 fingerlings
have been stocked annually since
Many area lakes and rivers pro
then, with the exception of 2020.The
vide good fishing for Freshwater
stockings have been successful, and
Drum and White Bass. Freshwater
sturgeon are frequently being caught
drum are commonly known as
by anglers and in DNR sampling. Lake
“sheepshead”. Drum can be caught in
Sturgeon stockings will continue until a
Artichoke, Lac qui Parle and Big
self-sustaining population has been
Stone, whereas the best bets for
reestablished.
White Bass are Traverse,
For more information search “Ortonville Fisheries”
or “Lakefinder” on the MNDNR webpage
(www.dnr.state.mn.us)
Ortonville Area Fisheries
320-839-2656
890 Pine Avenue Ortonville, 56278
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