Red Lake is divided between the state of Minnesota and the Red Lake Nation, a band of native people belonging to the Chippewa tribe. State anglers should be mindful of where they are fishing and stay east of the longitudinal coordinate of 94 deg. 43′ 12.0″ to ensure that they are not trespassing on waters belonging to the Red Lake Nation. The small region known as the Upper Red Lake includes about 48,000 acres (194 km2) of water and is open to state anglers for recreational fishing, whereas most of the lake is designated for tribal use.
This massive lake covers approximately 120,000 acres (486 km2). It is a shallow lake with a maximum depth of 15 feet (4.6 m). The lake’s watershed accommodates over 1.2 million acres (4,856 km2) of land. Most of this land is used for agriculture or left alone as preserved wetlands. The lands surrounding Red Lake also provide great hunting, trapping, and wildlife-watching opportunities with its abundance of wildlife. Hunters and trappers will enjoy populations of ruffed grouse, deer, and bears whereas wildlife watchers will find many species of songbirds, reptiles, insects, and plants.
While spring and summer provide ample opportunities for most anglers, the story is not the same when the lake freezes over. Fortunately, ice fishing is a popular activity at Red Lake. During the winter months, anglers that drill through the ice and take a chance with Red Lake’s frigid waters can expect to catch crappie, perch, walleye, and northern pike.
Fish Species in Red Lake
1) Walleye (Sander vitreus)
The walleye, also known as the walleyed pike, is an extremely important commercial and sportfish. It is a large fish with a dark green dorsal surface, yellow sides, and a white belly. This species also has blotches along its body although the degree of blotching varies with the most decorative fish present in the clearest waters. It is the largest of the perches with a common length of around 21 inches (53 cm).
This delicious fish is highly sought after by sport fishers. Fishing for walleyes is like fishing for bass species; they can be caught with various fishing tactics. Sources suggest using live bait such as minnows, earthworms, and leeches. They are found in large, clear bodies of water with deep pools. They can tolerate temperatures from 32°F to 90°F (0°C to 32°C) although they prefer waters near 65°F (18°C). Despite this tolerance for variable temperatures, they make seasonal movements to cooler sources of water during the summer.
This species spawns in the spring and summer and breeding events are triggered when the water temperature is between 38°F and 50°F (3°C and 10°C). They spawn at night over rocky substrates in swift waters.
Walleye can be fished traditionally in the summer or caught during the winter during the ice fishing season. The daily possession limit for walleye is three fish and anglers may only have one individual over 17 inches (43 cm) in possession at any given time.
2) Freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens)
Also known as the sheepshead due to its unique teeth, the freshwater drum is an oddity among North American sport fish. They are usually found in large rivers and impoundments and prefer the slower flow in these habitats. They have a deep, humped back. Freshwater drums also have two dorsal fins and a rounded caudal fin, distinguishing this species from carp and members of the Catostomidae family, which have forked caudal fins. Another defining characteristic of the freshwater drum is a complete lateral line extending into its caudal fin. This species is usually around 15 inches (38 cm) in length.
Freshwater drums can be large, achieving a maximum weight of around 50 pounds (23 kg). They are bottom dwellers and eat similar prey as catfish, which can be of a similar size. Their bottom-feeding diet includes insects, fish, crayfish, and mollusks. Freshwater drums enjoy slow currents in deep reservoirs and lakes. Spawning occurs in schools annually from late spring to early summer. Thousands of offspring are produced in one spawning event and left to fend for themselves in the open water.
The most striking feature of the freshwater drum is its unusual teeth which look like a series of molars and are specially designed to crack open sturdy mollusk shells. These teeth are not uncommon in other fish species, but they are particularly pronounced in freshwater drums. In addition, this species can produce a deep, throaty noise that they use to scare off predators and communicate. This action is possible because they have specific muscles to vibrate their swim bladder.
They are less popular than other sportfish species but make decent table fare. There is no limit on freshwater drums at Red Lake.
3) Northern pike (Esox lucius)
Northern pikes are large ambush predators with an arrow-like or sagittiform body shape and an average length of around 16 inches (41 cm), although some individuals can grow more than 40 inches (102 cm). Their mottled green coloration helps them hide amongst aquatic vegetation. This species has a white belly with grey to green colored sides and distinctive white blotching. Their fins sometimes bear a hint of orange.
Pikes are aggressive piscivores and ambush predators that hide amongst dense vegetation, waiting to ambush prey. This species is common in lakes and reservoirs and migrates to streams to spawn. Eggs are broadcast over weed beds between March and May. During the breeding season, it is best to target northern pike in streams and shorelines; otherwise, they are commonly found near areas with dense submerged vegetation.
Pikes are notoriously aggressive, making them a delight on the line and a danger to hold in your hands. Their mouths are filled with sharp teeth that can cause serious injury if allowed to bite an angler, so they should be handled with care and respect. White or yellow lures work best for northern pike, and anglers can use a variety of bait, including live fish like small sunfish, suckers, or locally available baitfish. Northern pike can be fished traditionally in the summer or caught during the winter during the ice fishing season. Anglers may harvest up to three northern pike provided that those fish are at least 40 inches (101.6 cm) in length.
4) Yellow perch (Perca flavescens)
Yellow perch occur in large schools, so they can be caught in abundance despite their small size, which maxes out at 4 pounds (1.8 kgs) and 14 inches (35.6 cm). Additionally, their abundance and small size make them an important food source for predators, including giant sunfish and birds.
What yellow perch lack in size, they make up for in range and abundance as they have one of the largest native and introduced ranges of any of the perches. The native range of the yellow perch extends as far south as Louisiana and north into Canada. Therefore, it can be found throughout most of Canada and the northeastern United States. This species prefers lakes and avoids extremely cold or warm weather. In addition, they are tolerant of hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions.
The yellow perch consumes invertebrates and small fish. They occur in freshwater and brackish water and can tolerate a variety of habitats. They typically spawn from April to May when the waters are warm and have a high reproductive rate. In their introduced range, they often eat native fish and compete with them for food which places pressure on native fish populations and can cause the collapse of native fish species, like trout. Another issue yellow perch face is overpopulation. Due to their high reproductive rate, they often crowd ponds or impoundments that lack sufficient predators, so the yellow perch population in that area becomes stunted.
Perch can be fished traditionally in the summer or caught during the winter during the ice fishing season. In Minnesota, anglers may harvest up to 25 perch per day.
5) Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
Black crappies are small, dark-colored sunfish with a mottled pattern. This species has 7 – 8 dorsal spines supporting the dorsal fin. The mouth of a black crappie is also curved upward. On average, black crappies reach around 10.8 inches (27.4 cm) and can live up to fifteen years.
Black crappies prefer clear water and hunt in schools during the middle of the night, around midnight. They hunt crustaceans and small fish, with their prey items increasing in size as they grow. So, where anglers catch one, they can usually count on hooking others.
This species reaches sexual maturity at between 2 and 4 years of age. The breeding season for black crappie runs from the spring to the summer and is dependent on water temperature, with warmer water temperatures encouraging breeding. At this time, males will construct nests and breed with multiple females. A single female will lay eggs in various male nests, producing around forty thousand eggs each season.
Black crappies are not difficult to catch and can be fished using a variety of rigs and strategies, like classic bobbers and spider rigging. Despite their unappealing common name, crappies make excellent table fare. Black crappies can be fished traditionally in the summer or caught during the winter during the ice fishing season. Anglers may harvest up to 10 crappies per day in Minnesota.
6) Common shiner (Luxilus cornutus)
The common shiner is abundant where it occurs and is often used as a baitfish. This cold-water minnow is small and silvery with large eyes and no barbels or dark lateral stripes. Spawning males develop pronounced tubercules and a dark back. Some individuals also develop red blushing on the fin margins and chin. Adults are around 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) long on average.
This species is uncommon in lakes, but it can be found in cold water streams or tributaries feeding into larger lakes. They avoid large predators found in lakes and impoundments. Streams and rivers are also better hunting grounds for common shiners which prefer plant materials, insects, and other small fish. Common shiners exhibit temperature-dependent spawning which occurs when water temperatures are between 60°F and 65°F (15.6°C and 18.3°C). They take advantage of nests constructed by other minnow species and sometimes hybridize with those minnows.
Common shiners have little use for anglers outside of use as baitfish, but they are important forage for many predatory fish.
7) Bullheads (Ameiurus spp.)
The genus Ameiurus, commonly called bullheads, is composed of small catfish species that tend to be more gregarious or social than other species of catfish in the family Ictaluridae. Two species of bullhead are known from Red Lake, the black bullhead (A. melas) and the brown bullhead (A. nebulosus). Color is one method to distinguish the two, although this method works best for adults. Brown bullheads have a mottled pattern towards the caudal fin, spots on their fins, and saw-like teeth on the rear edge of their pectoral spines. Comparatively, black bullheads are consistently dark towards their caudal fin with yellow bellies.
Brown and black bullheads do not tolerate fast-flowing water and are typically found in rivers, lakes, and ponds with soft substrates. They tolerate pollution, anoxic conditions, and elevated water temperatures. One strategy to avoid lousy water conditions is to bury themselves in the mud until adverse conditions have passed. Black bullheads can also be found in warm, turbid water bodies with soft, muddy substrates, and they prefer slow currents but do not do well in areas with other predatory fishes.
During the mating season, both sexes participate in nest building and parental care, which involves protecting the eggs from predators and fanning the eggs to maintain optimal oxygen conditions. Once hatched, young bullheads eat insects and insect larvae, while adults focus on fish, large invertebrates, and fish eggs.
Brown bullheads are not native to Minnesota, but black bullheads are native to the state. Therefore, there is no limit on bullheads in Minnesota.
8) Burbot (Lota lota)
The burbot is a cod-like species commonly referred to as ling. This fish tends to be long and snake-like with smooth skin and a chin barbel. As a result, it can be confused with freshwater eels and catfish. A burbot lacks the adipose fin seen in most catfish and has two dorsal fins, whereas an eel only has one, continuous fin along its back. The average size of a burbot is between 16 and 24 inches (41 – 61 cm). The second dorsal fin and anal fin run almost half the length of its body. While it can live in the ocean, the burbot is remarkable because it is the only cod species that is almost exclusively freshwater.
Burbots prefer cold water, including large rivers, lakes, or reservoirs, and are a bit reclusive, hiding amongst rocks and vegetation. Burbot is primarily nocturnal, so a fisherman looking to catch one should aim to do so at night. Young burbots consume invertebrates, while adults are aggressive carnivores.
Although this fish is not the most popular sport fish, it is still commonly caught and consumed. There is no limit on burbot at Red Lake.
9) Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
Bluegills are not native to Minnesota but they are popular panfish that are often stocked in lakes and reservoirs for recreational fishing. These fish have brown bodies and fins tipped with blue and orange. Males are more colorful than females and have reddish chests. They used to be extremely popular like the largemouth and smallmouth bass but are no longer routinely stocked on their own. They are a good species to stock alongside those larger species as a source of food.
Bluegill primarily consume insects and only occasionally eat other small fish, as a result, they bioaccumulate fewer toxic metals and can be safer to eat.
Spawning occurs in warm water between May and July. The male will construct and guard a nest throughout the season and until the eggs hatch. Male bluegills tend to be particularly aggressive during the breeding season, and while they are not dangerous, they will try to attack swimmers if they come too close to the nest.
Anglers may harvest a combined total of 20 sunfish per day unless otherwise noted.
10) Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
Lake sturgeon are North America’s largest freshwater fish, with a maximum length of 8 feet (2.4 m) long and a maximum weight of 208 pounds (94 kg). In addition, they can be incredibly long-lived. One source provides a report of a lake sturgeon over 150 years old. Paddlefish and sturgeon belong to an ancient group of fish whose fossils date back to the Jurassic period. Lake sturgeon have boney scutes and a heterocercal tail, typical characteristics of ancient fish lineages.
The IUCN Red List considers sturgeon among Earth’s most endangered groups. Loss of habitat, particularly spawning grounds, has resulted in a severe reduction in lake sturgeon populations. They were also historically harvested by humans for their caviar. However, in the modern day, the fish is protected, and harvest is illegal in most places, but Minnesota has a limited season.
To fish for sturgeon, an angler must purchase a tag for $5 from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Labels are not required for catch and release. Additionally, the season for this fish lasts from June 16th to April 14th. During this time, anglers may catch and release sturgeon or harvest a single sturgeon, provided they have the required tag. Following the harvest of any sturgeon, an angler must report their catch to the Minnesota DNR. Sturgeon may only be harvested between April 24th and May 7th or July 1st to September 30th and must be between 45 and 50 inches (114 cm to 127 cm) or over 75 inches (191 cm) long.
11) Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)
Lake whitefish are more common in North America than other whitefish species. There is no limit on whitefish at Red Lake. This species is similar to freshwater drum, but this species possesses an adipose fin whereas freshwater drums do not. Lake whitefish average 18 inches (46 cm) and are considered decent eating fish.
This species hunts at the bottom of the water column for aquatic invertebrates, small fish, and fish eggs. Lake whitefish spawn in the fall and are scatter spawners. Males and females do not provide parental care.
12) Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
The largemouth bass is one of the United States’ most famous and commercially important sportfish due to its large size, aggressive temperament, and table fare. This species is one of the most stocked sportfish in the United States due to its popularity. Largemouth bass are giant sunfish, but their common name refers more to the size of their mouths and their capacity to consume large prey items than their size. On average, a largemouth bass reaches around 16 inches (41 cm), but it can grow up to 38 inches (97 cm).
The largemouth bass can be found in almost any sport fishing lake, reservoir, or river. This species prefers transparent bodies of water with abundant submerged vegetation, which provides ample hunting ground and cover for largemouth bass. This species will hide amongst aquatic plants to ambush unsuspecting prey items. Such prey items might include other fish, amphibians, leeches, insects, or even small mammals and birds.
Largemouth bass tend to occupy nearshore areas during the spawning season and when feeding. During most other seasons, a boat will be required to find largemouth bass hiding in deeper waters. Anglers can use a variety of baits and lures to catch one. The open season for largemouth bass for 2023 is from May 27th to February 25th. During this period, anglers may harvest up to 6 smallmouth and largemouth bass combined.
13) Rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris)
While black basses are fish in the genus Micropterus and temperate basses belong to the family Moronidae, rock basses belong to neither. Instead, the rock bass is the type species for the genus Ambloplites, collectively called the rock basses. They are a type of sunfish and therefore share characteristics with black basses. Typically, rock bass are dull green or brown, with striking red eyes that help distinguish them from other species. In addition, they can change their color within a limited range from silver to dark gray to camouflage themselves. Finally, they should have six spines on their anal fin.
This species is less common than other large sunfish species. Rock basses prefer clear water with loose gravel substrates and patchy, but not dense, vegetation. As is typical with sunfish, males construct a nest in the substrate, and females leave their adhesive eggs for them to care for and protect.
Their diet includes insects, fish, and aquatic invertebrates like crayfish–all of which make great bait options if an angler wants to catch one. The limit for rock bass in Minnesota is 30 fish per day.
14) Bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus)
Buffalos have round heads, a single dorsal fin with an anterior peak, and a rounded caudal fin with a deep fork. Bigmouth buffalo are lightly colored, usually silver to beige. They can be massive fish with an average weight of 25 lbs (11.3 kgs) and a length of 14 inches (35.6 cm). Bigmouth buffalo are usually surprised when they are reeled in because most anglers are not looking for them. Bigmouth buffalo can be seen in large rivers, lakes, and impoundments. They travel to shallow water in the spring to spawn. Here, females will sink into the vegetation surrounded by males and deposit their eggs amongst the plants.
Bigmouth buffalos are not predatory; they filter out algae and zooplankton from the water column. They do not spend energy hunting or chasing prey, and their food source is typically abundant, so they grow more efficiently than many other sport fish. However, their diet makes them challenging to catch, so anglers rarely hook them.
There is no limit on bigmouth buffalo in Minnesota.
15) Goldeye (Hiodon alosoides)
Goldeyes belong to a freshwater group of fish known as the mooneyes (family Hiodontidae). These species have a keeled belly and a rounded dorsal surface. They are also laterally compressed with long anal fins and a deeply forked caudal fin. They also have teeth on their tongue and the roof of the mouth. Goldeyes possess a characteristic golden iris. They grow rapidly and are, on average, 12.2 inches (31 cm) in length.
This species can be found in quiet streams with shallow banks and shallow lakes. They spend the winter in deep pools of lakes and impoundments. During the spawning season, females produce thousands of eggs. Goldeyes are active hunters and seek out small, aquatic invertebrates and zooplankton. Occasionally, they will eat small fish.
As a delicacy, they are smoked for human consumption, but goldeyes are more important as a source of food for other fish species.
16) Quillback carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus)
The quillback carpsucker has a laterally compressed body with a long, trailing ray on the anterior portion of the dorsal fin. Adults can be found in large schools at the bottom of clear lakes and rivers. This species scatters its eggs over shallow substrates, but adults do not provide parental care. One female can lay over 50,000 eggs, indicating that juvenile mortality within this species is exceptionally high.
Quillbacks provide a valuable ecosystem service by filtering organic matter from the benthic layer of the water column. They eat aquatic insect larvae, mollusks, and plant material.
They are of least concern throughout their range, but some states, like Vermont, New York, and Michigan, list them as critically imperiled. Quillbacks are not popular sportfish, but they are essential to their local ecosystem. There is no limit on quillbacks in Minnesota.
17) White sucker (Catostomus commersonii)
The white sucker commonly reaches lengths of more than 15 inches (38 cm). This silvery, streamlined fish lacks the distinct notching found in mountain suckers and is far duller in color compared to the longnose sucker.
They can survive in a broad range of habitat types but are usually found in the headwaters of large lakes over rocky substrates.
White suckers are safe to eat and provide food for wildlife. Anyone looking to catch white suckers should try for them in rocky pools and large lakes, especially where the water moves quickly. White sucker fry are planktivorous, while older individuals consume invertebrates. It is vital to ensure that live fish are not transported between water bodies as this sucker species readily hybridizes with other suckers and could be problematic for native suckers.
18) Iowa darter (Etheostoma exile)
Iowa darters are widespread throughout Minnesota. This tiny fish has a silver body with beautiful blue and red patterns along its sides and on its fins. They are small fish, with adult Iowa darters usually reaching an average length of around 2 inches (5 cm).
Given their small size, one could reasonably assume that darters are not sport fish, unlike larger perch family members. Instead, they are ecologically important prey species. For example, they are sometimes used as bait fish and can be found in the aquarium trade.
The Iowa darter hides in vegetated areas of cool water bodies, and it tolerates some turbidity. Some populations have significantly reduced due to human development and habitat destruction or disturbance. It is rare in large waterbodies and prefers shallow streams or slow-moving rivers. During the spawning season, the females select the most colorful males as mates from April to June. Males claim territory in a manner like the johnny darter and will protect and care for their eggs.
19) Johnny darter (Etheostoma nigrum)
The johnny darter is a slightly smaller and far less colorful relative of the Iowa darter. On average, they grow to be about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) long. They are also common throughout Minnesota. In fact, of the seven or so darter species in the state, the johnny darter might be the most common. Like the Iowa darter, they are an ecologically important prey species and are occasionally kept in the aquarium trade.
The spawning season for this species lasts from mid-spring to the summer when water conditions are just right. Typically, johnny darters will migrate to spawning grounds. The males arrive first to claim territory containing large debris upon which female darters can deposit eggs. Males are territorial during the day and rest or feed at night. When females reach the nest, both sexes will spawn upside-down underneath the large debris the male selects.
20) Trout-perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus)
Trout-perch, or the sand minnow, are small fish resembling trout smelts. They are found in deep parts of lakes and large rivers, preferring areas with sandy substrates. However, trout-perch will migrate to streams with gravel or rock substrates to spawn. Trout-perches are named by their shared trout and perch characteristics. However, they are much smaller than trout or perch fish, with an average length of around 3.5 inches (8.9 cm).
Trout-perch are benthic invertivores specializing in submerged aquatic insects, mollusks, and worms near the bottom of the water body. Trout-perch congregate over gravel substrates to spawn in the spring, broadcasting their eggs over the substrate and providing no parental care.
The species is tolerant to pollution and temperature changes, and their resilience has led them to become one of the most abundant fish in the Great Lakes region.
