DNR to conduct lake and stream surveys in Cass and Crow Wing counties

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will conduct fish surveys, stream surveys, and wildlife lake surveys during the 2009 open water season in lower Cass and Crow Wing counties. Surveys will begin with ice out in April and continue through August.

Fish surveys involve fish netting, electrofishing, and collecting other information such as chemical and physical data. The wildlife (shallow) lake surveys include an assessment of overall wildlife use, migration and production habitat for waterfowl, and wild rice management opportunities.

Surveys such as these are helpful in getting updated information on the composition and number of fish, which indicates the health of the lake habitat.

Fish lakes scheduled for surveys this season:

• April ice-out netting: Big Rabbit, East Big Rabbit, Red Sand
• May trap netting: Gladstone, Goodrich
• May spring electrofishing: Big Rabbit, East Big Rabbit, Lower Cullen, Middle Cullen, Pelican, Perch, Red Sand, Ruth, Upper Cullen, Washburn
• June - August surveys: Big Rabbit, Eagle, East Big Rabbit, Little Thunder, Little Trout, Lower Cullen, Middle Cullen, North Long, Norway, Ossawinnamakee, Pelican, Perch, Ruth, Section 6, Upper Cullen, Washburn

Wildlife lakes scheduled for surveys this season:

• June - August surveys: Bass, Brockway, Bull Dog, Camp, Cedar, Ding Pot, Hardy, Hattie, Kelly, Lind, Nelson, Pistol Lake Rice Bed, Potshot, Rock, Twenty-Two, Unnamed (lake number 11-714)

For more information, contact the DNR Brainerd office at 218-828-2550.