Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 16, 2021
Species recorded at Rush Island Lake
14 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Rush Island Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Rush Island Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 16, 2021 caught 0.75 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at Rush Island Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–33 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rush Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-08-16 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2021-08-16 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 65.80 | 4–10 in 2021-06-22 | 0.18 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 49.10 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 6.47 | 19 in 2021-06-22 | 2.11 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.91 | 10–33 in 2021-06-22 | 2.12 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.96 | 3–8 in 2021-06-22 | 0.25 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 4.41 |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Bluegill
From the 2021-08-16 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Rush-Island Lake was conducted on August 16, 2021, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Rush Island Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Rush IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Rush Island (0672)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Rush IslandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Rush IslandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Rush Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 16, 2021 caught 0.75 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at Rush Island Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–33 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 14 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Rush Island Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Rush Island Lake is dated August 16, 2021. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Rush Island Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Rush Island Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Rush Island Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rush Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class: a lake with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Rush Island Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Rush Island Lake
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