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Lake information report
Name: Dam
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Nearest Town: Aitkin
Primary County: Aitkin
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Survey Date: 07/16/2007
Inventory Number: 01009600
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Public Access Information
http://www.mnlakeplace.com
steve vennemann for all your lake property needs in Minnesota & Wisconsin.
651-334-8312
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Ownership
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Type
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Description
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DNR
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Concrete
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Lake Characteristics
Length of Selected Species (Trapnet, Gillnet) Sampled for the 2007 Survey Year
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Species
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Number of fish caught in each category (inches)
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0-5
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6-8
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9-11
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12-14
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15-19
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20-24
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25-29
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30+
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Total
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bigmouth buffalo
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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1
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1
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black crappie
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11
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95
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22
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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128
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bluegill
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152
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74
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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226
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bowfin (dogfish)
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0
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0
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0
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0
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1
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14
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1
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0
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16
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brown bullhead
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0
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0
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2
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6
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0
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0
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0
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0
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8
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hybrid sunfish
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1
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10
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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11
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largemouth bass
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14
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22
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6
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6
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2
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0
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0
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0
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50
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northern pike
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0
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0
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0
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1
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9
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36
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5
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2
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53
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pumpkinseed
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12
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6
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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18
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rock bass
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4
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3
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2
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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9
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tullibee (cisco)
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0
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0
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0
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4
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1
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0
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0
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0
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5
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walleye
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0
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4
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4
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24
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7
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12
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3
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0
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54
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white sucker
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0
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0
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3
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4
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5
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1
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0
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0
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13
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yellow bullhead
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0
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4
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120
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20
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2
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0
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0
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0
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146
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yellow perch
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23
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26
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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50
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For the record, the largest Chinook Salmon (King) taken in Minnesota weighed 33 lbs., 4 oz. and was caught by:
Who: Dave Anderson, Duluth, MN
Where: Poplar River, Cook County
When: 9/23/89
Statistics: 44.75" length, 25.75" girth
and by
Who: Jeffrey Gulbranson, Duluth, MN
Where: Lake Superior, St. Louis County
When: 10/12/89.
Statistics: 42.25" length, 26.13" girth
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Fish Stocked by Species for the Last Five Years
Status of the Fishery (as of 07/16/2007)
Dam Lake is a moderately clear water lake located in central Aitkin County, with a public access on the southwest end of the lake. Historically, the lake has supported a quality fishery for several species.
Large bluegills were common in Dam, however, average size has been decreasing. Bluegill natural reproduction and recruitment occurs annually. Strong reproductive success, fishing pressure, slower growth rates and apparent insufficient predation suggest that the size of bluegill will remain relatively small. In 2002 and 2007, no bluegill over 8 inches were sampled in the trap net assessments.
Northern pike have decreased in abundance since 2002, from 8.5 to 3.4 per gill net lift, which is comparable to levels found in the 1980s. The population is maintaining a decent size structure. The average northern pike sampled in gill nets was 22.3 inches long and fish up to 30.5 inches were sampled. Anglers are encouraged to release larger pike.
Yellow perch decreased in abundance to the second lowest observed in 8 gill net assessments since 1960. Since the 1985 survey, few perch over 8 inches have been observed in the assessments. This decrease in the abundance of large perch, and the lack of their predation on young bluegill, may partially explain the increase in density and decrease in growth rates of small bluegill. If perch abundance continues to decline, northern pike growth rates would be expected to decrease, and bluegill abundance likely will increase, decreasing bluegill growth rates even further.
Black crappie have exhibited a stable population since the 1960's. Length frequency distributions from the various surveys have consistently shown a black crappie size structure that ranges from 5 inches up to 13 inches. The 2007, the trap net catch for crappie was 8.5 per net, which is as high as it has been since 1960 when it was 14.8 per net. The mean length for crappie was 7.3 inches, and fish to 11.8 inches were observed. Recruitment was consistent from 2003 through 2005.
Walleye gillnet abundance has increased from 2.7 per net in 2002 to 3.8 per net in 2007. The 2004 year class is currently the most abundant in the fishery and are 12 to 16 inches long. Fluctuations in walleye abundance have been observed over the years; however, overall the walleye population has not changed significantly since the first sampling in 1960. While there is evidence that some natural reproduction is taking place in Dam Lake, most of the walleyes sampled came from year classes that were stocked with fingerlings. Although it is too soon to be sure, there did not appear to be any appreciable increase in walleye numbers due to the increase in stocking rate in 2004. At age 3, the 2004 year class (N=20) while abundant, was not sampled in any greater numbers than the 1991 (N=18) and 1994 (N=40) year classes that were sampled at age the same age in 1994 and 1997. We will have more information after a special gill net assessment, which is planned for 2009.
Largemouth bass offer anglers another opportunity on Dam Lake. A spring electrofishing survey was conducted in 2007, and good numbers of fish between 14 and 16 inches were sampled, along with some up to 18 inches. ?
http://www.mnlakeplace.com
steve vennemann for all your lake property needs in Minnesota & Wisconsin.
651-334-8312
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