Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest April 9, 2024
Species recorded at Rush Lake
16 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 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
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 April 9, 2024 caught 5.12 walleye per trap net at Rush Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rush Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-04-09 (Targeted Survey).
15 surveys on file · most recent 2024-04-09 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 20.49 | 4–11 in 2023-08-21 | 0.16 lb |
| White Crappie | 15.03 | 0.28 lb | |
| Black Crappie | 13.16 | 2–11 in 2024-04-09 | 0.27 lb |
| Bluegill | 9.81 | 2–9 in 2023-08-21 | 0.19 lb |
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
Black Crappie
Bluegill
From the 2024-04-09 survey
East Rush Lake is a 1,481-acre lake in northern Chisago County located four miles west of Rush City, MN, and is within the Lower St. Croix River Watershed. The lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet, an average depth of 8 feet, and 70% of the lake is 15 feet or less (1,033 acres). East Rush has four inlets, three small…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Rush Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — East RushFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East RushFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — East RushPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Rush Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on April 9, 2024 caught 5.12 walleye per trap net at Rush Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 16 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 Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Rush Lake is dated April 9, 2024. 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 Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Rush 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 Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rush Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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 Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Rush Lake
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