DNR releases fish house counts

According to Brandon Eder, assistant area supervisor with the Waterville fishery, staff there carried out an annual count during January of fish houses on 75 lakes in the region.

 

Eder reported that, at the time of the count, Waseca’s Clear Lake had the highest number: 124. He also shared historical data for each Waseca County lake. In the case of Clear, it has averaged 124 houses on the day of the count around Jan. 10 each year since 1980. The smallest number, zero, was reported both in 1988 and 1989. The largest number the fishery staff has counted on Clear Lake was 370, in 1982.

 

Eder reported numbers region-wide were generally low compared to previous counts.

This year’s census showed Elysian with 4 houses. Its average since 1980 has been 26. The maximum, achieved in 1988, was 122. There have been numerous years when there were zero.

 

Lake Lily had 2 fish houses on it this January. Its average since 1980 has been 4. The maximum number, reached in 1986, was 24. The count has been zero a number of times.

Loon Lake had no fish houses on it this January. Its average has been 4 since 1982. The highest number was 24 in 1986. There have been numerous times when the count was zero.

Reeds Lake had 4 fish houses on it this year. Its average has been 20 since 1980. The highest count was 68, taken in 1989; the count there has been zero more than once.

 

St. Olaf Lake had 16 houses on it during the annual count. Its average has been 16 since 1980. The maximum count, in 2009, was 39. More than one year, the count has been zero.

 

Along with the counts, Eder shared his observation that Lake Elysian had been busier earlier in the year, but on the day of the count its numbers were lower than Clear’s. 

 

He also commented that, while people often assume a high number of fish houses indicates the fish are biting on the lake, other factors such as ice conditions, snow cover, and ease of access also have a strong bearing.