LAKE MANAGEMENT PLAN 814 Bp I Region I Area I DOW Number / County I DOW Lake Name I Acreage I I I # I f 2 Duluth F213 690036 St Louis Salo DOW:149 Plan: 137 Long Range Goal: Manage for walleye with a gillnet catch rate greater than 10 per lift Operational Plan: 1 Conduct population assessments every 8 years beginning in 2014 with a full survey every third investigation (net survey in 2029) 2 Conduct assessment of spawning walleye with night electrofishing in 2008, 201 0, 201 2 and 2014 3 Conduct assessment of youngoftheyear walleye with night electrofishing in 2008, 201 0, 2012 and 2014 Also collect information on largemouth bass during fall electrofishing 4 Stock Pike River strain walleye fingerlings in odd years at a rate of two pounds per littoral acre (254 pounds) 5 Minimize impacts to aquatic resources by providing recommendations during permit review Mid Range Objectives: Develop inde of spawning walleye using night electrofishing Monitor the fish community Potential Plan: 1 Update information on use of Salo Lake with an aerial recreational use survey in conjunction with other St Louis and Lake County lakes NARRATIVE: (Historical perspectives various survevs; past manaqement; social considerations; present limiting factors; survey needs; land acquisition; habitat development and protection; commercial fishery; stockinq ~lans; other manaqement tools; and evaluation plans) Check the appropriate boes below: BWCAW Superior National Forest Chippewa National Forest Leech Lake Indian Reservation 1854 Ceded Territory 1837 Ceded Territory Fond du Lac Indian Reservation Voyageurs National Park Primary Species Management: Walleye Area Supervisor Signature: Secondary Species Management: Black Crappie, Bluegill, Northern Pike Date: Regional Manager Signature: Date:
NARRATIVE: Salo is a 137acre lake located 5 miles north of Rollins, Minnesota with 93% (127 acres) littoral area and a maimum depth of 20 feet Salo Lake is in lake class I 9 with an area priority rating of 7 on a scale of 114 (14 being highest) VARIOUS SURVEYS: Full Surveys: 1964, 1989,2006 Population Assessments: 1974, 1979, 1994, 1998 Habitat Assessment (vegetation): 1998 A total of 11 fish species were collected in Salo Lake using gillnets, trapnets and seining between 1964 and 2006 (Table I) Gillnet catch rates in 1979 were not used for comparison due to insufficient sampling effort (< 3 nets) All interquartile range comparisons are for lake class 19 PAST MANAGEMENT: Walleye fry were stocked into Salo Lake between 1927 and 1945 (Table 2) Fingerlings have been stocked in eight years from 1990 through 2005 During three of those years, yearlings were also stocked Salo is currently stocked at a rate of two pounds of fingerlings per littoral acre, every other year Walleye gillnet catchperuniteffort (CPUE) ranged from 02 per lift in 1994 to 57 in 1974 (Figure I ) All catch rates since 1974 have been below the interquartile range (1348) Walleye proportional stock density (PSD) was not calculated for any investigation due to small sample size Although sample sizes were small, all walleye that were hatched since fingerling stocking began in 1990 were aged to years that walleye were stocked (Table 3) Stocking of walleye fingerlings in Salo Lake has not resulted in an increased gillnet CPUE during evaluations However, there have been many anecdotal reports from the public and personnel from the Area fisheries office of good angling success for walleye Black crappie fingerlings were stocked in Salo Lake between 1927 and 1945 (Table 2) Black crappie trapnet CPUE ranged from 05 per lift in 2006 to 158 in 1964 (Figure 2) All documented catch rates ecept 1974 and 2006 were above the interquartile range (0835) Black crappie PSD ranged from 4 in 1964 to 100 in 1994 and represented variable size structure quality (Figure 3) Length at age 4 decreased from 73 inches in 1998 to 66 in 2006, and represented a shift from typical to slow growth compared to other Duluth Area lakes Analysis of age distribution from samples collected in 1989, 1994, 1998 and 2006 revealed relatively consistent recruitment and strong 1988 and 1994 yearclasses (Table 3) Sunfish fingerlings were stocked in Salo Lake between 1927 and 1945 (Table 2) Bluegill trapnet CPUE ranged from 13 per lift in 1974 to 149 in 1998 (Figure 2) Catch rates were only within the interquartile range (2378) in 1994 and 2006 Bluegill PSD ranged from 31 in 2006 to 72 in 1998 and represented average size potential (Figure 3) Length at age 4 decreased from 49 inches in 1998 to 39 in 2006, and represented a shift from typical to slow growth compared to other Duluth Area lakes Analysis of age distribution from samples since 1989 revealed consistent recruitment with strong 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1994 yearclasses (Table 3) A small number of northern pike adults were stocked between 1927 and 1945 Northern pike yearlings were stocked annually from 1971 through 1984 and fingerlings were stocked in 1986 (Table 2) Northern pike gillnet CPUE ranged from 17 per lift in 1974 to 48 in 1994 (Figure
1) All documented catch rates ecept 1974 and 2006 were within the interquartile range (30 83) Northern pikepsd ranged from 25 in 1989 to 73 in 2006 and represented average size potential (Figure 3) Length at age 4 increased from 201 inches in 1998 to 212 in 2006, and represented a shift from slow to typical growth compared to other Duluth Area lakes Analysis of age distribution from samples collected in 1989, 1994, 1998 and 2006 revealed relatively consistent recruitment and strong 1988, 1991 and 1994 yearclasses (Table 3) Yellow perch gillnet CPUE ranged from 03 per lift in 1974 to 250 in 1964 (Figure I) Catch rates from the last four investigations have remained within the interquartile range (451 90) Yellow perch PSD, which ranged from 4 in 1998 to 18 in 1964, represented very poor size potential (Figure 3) Analysis of age distribution from samples collected in 1998 and 2006 revealed strong 1994 and 1995 yearclasses (Table 3) Black bullhead, which were first identified in Salo Lake in 1964, became abundant in the 1974 and 1989 investigations Bullhead abundance has steadily declined since the walleye fingerling stocking program began in 1990 (Figure 1) Largemouth bass were first identified in Salo Lake in 1989 Other than one adult sampled by trapnet in 1994, bass have only been documented in shoreline seining Habitat assessments (vegetation survey) were conducted in 1998 and 2006 Species diversity was similar between assessments with a total of 25 species or species groups identified in 1998 and 26 in 2006 However, abundance of si species had increased from 1998 to 2006, while abundance of only one species had declined Si new species were identified in the 2006 assessment and si species present in 1998 were not identified in 2006 Most notably, ribbonleaf pondweed, which was not identified in 1998, was identified along 100% of the transects and had an abundance rating of common Watershield, which has become an abundant plant species in other Duluth Area lakes, was newly identified in 2006 The most common substrate types were sand and boulder, which were identified along 90 and 70% of the transects, respectively Detritus, gravel, muck and rubble were rated as rare Results of laboratory water analysis indicate Salo is a slightly acidic, moderately soft water lake with low fertility SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS: The concrete backin access and picnic area located along the northwest shore of the lake is administered by the United States Forest Service An aerial recreational use survey of 67 Duluth Area lakes was conducted between 1999 and 2000 and estimated approimately 3209 total angling hours on Salo Lake, of which 74% was open water angling This resulted in 215 hlacre and fishing pressure was categorized as moderate Five cabins were identified along the west shore during surveys conducted in 1989 and 2006 STOCKING PLANS: Stock Pike River strain walleye fingerlings in odd years at a rate of two pounds per littoral acre (254 pounds) The stocking rate on Salo Lake was increased in 2005 to satisfy statewide walleye management strategies SURVEY AND EVALUATION PLANS:
Conduct population assessments every 8 years beginning in 2014 with a full survey every third investigation (net survey in 2029) Conduct assessment of spawning walleye with night electrofishing in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 Conduct assessment of youngoftheyear walleye with night electrofishing in 2008, 201 0, 2012 and 2014 Also collect information on largemouth bass during fall electrofishing LIMITING FACTORS: None identified LAND ACQUISITION: None proposed HABITAT DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION: Minimize impacts to aquatic resources by providing recommendations during permit review COMMERCIAL FISHERY: None proposed OTHER MANAGEMENT TOOLS: Update information on use of Salo Lake with an aerial recreational use survey in conjunction with other St Louis and Lake County lakes
Table 1 Species sampled in Salo Lake, 19642006 Species 1964 1974 1979 1989 1994 1998 2006 Black Bullhead Black Crappie Bluegill Johnny Darter Largemouth Bass Northern Pike Pumpkinseed Sunfish Smallmouth Bass Walleye White Sucker Yellow Perch FS PA PA FS PA PA FS Survey Type: FS=Full Survey; PA=Population Assessment
Table 2 Stocking History for Salo Lake, 19272007
Table 3 Age distribution for fish species sampled from Salo Lake in 1989, 1994, 1998 and 2006 ri <== Years Stocked
Figure 1 Historical gillnet catch rates from Salo Lake, 19642006
Figure 2 Historical trapnet catch rates from Salo Lake, 19642006 20 15 I C, 2 3 a 10 h 2 B i 5 0 1964 1974 1989 1994 1998 2006 Black Crappie Bluegill Net Sets 158 4 1 O 13 3 150 78 4 46 77 9 39 149 9 05 58 9
/,', //I Figure 3 Historical PSD for fish sampled from Salo Lake, 19642006 () indicates that PSD was not calculated due to sample size less than 10 n n 1 UU 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 fl 1964 1989,,,,, ~ 11114 ',/,, c>,,,,,, ' ' 1 994 35: '/,' '/,', * '/;,;,,//, ',', : /,/ ://,%I '//, '/,,,,,,?,,,,'/, '1 '', I,, ''/:, / ','/,, +>; ',', _,*,,;,, I, ',',,,/7;,','/,,,,, >, ',*,",,,,,,,,,,, I,,,,,', ',' 5, '/,;/, ) I *,, : ',: ' ' '// 'i, 'i,' rrrr c 77,,,;, ;<;p; ',','/ ''/, '/// :, ', ' ;: >, ', '///,,, //, :, 1998, ' '//,' L :/,:; a "/,', ',/,,,',,,/ _,',,'i '' *,,*,, '//,' ' ;, i/,,/,, '/// '//,' ' 2006 Walleye Yellow Perch 18 7 6 4 7 0 Northern Pike 40 25 50 31 73 17 Black Crappie 4 7 100 57 fl Bluegill 45 48 72 31