Bingham Lake Fishing guide

WALLEYE

Twenty-two Walleye were sampled in gill nets (n=19) and trap nets (n=3). The gill net catch rate of 6.3 per gill net is the third greatest catch observed but is less than the long-term average of 8.4 per gill net. Walleye caught in gill nets ranged in length from 13.1 inches to 25.9 inches with an average length of 20.1 inches. The length distribution of the fish in the gill net and trap net sample was good with many harvestable sized fish. With the exception of a few adult fish in the sample, the overall body condition was good with many healthy looking fish. While Walleye in the sample had an excellent length and weight distributions, catch rates have declined in recent years. Windom Area Fisheries Staff want to continue to develop and sustain good Walleye populations in SW Minnesota. Therefore, the Walleye population of Bingham Lake was part of a long-term study. Southwest Minnesota has seen increasing interest with Walleye genetics as the Lake Sarah Walleye strain (aka Canon River Strain) is gaining notoriety. Lake Sarah Walleye eggs have been fertilized and collected since 2015 by Windom Area DNR staff and those fish are now being stocked and established in southern Minnesota lakes. To determine whether those fish perform and persist better than northern strains of Walleye used historically, same numbers of Lake Sarah strain Walleye fry and Upper Mississippi strain Walleye fry were stocked each year since 2018. The study was just completed in 2022, and final results should be available soon. Very early indications are showing that there is an advantage with Lake Sarah strain Walleye, but the exact impact is not known at this point. Even so, some lakes still require advanced age stocking to help maintain a good number of fishable Walleye, which may be the case for Bingham Lake.

BLUEGILL

Bluegill were re-introduced following the 2013 to 2014 winterkill due to the re-emergence of aquatic vegetation (mostly clasping leaf pondweed) that provided excellent habitat. In 2022, the trap net catch rate of 4.6 per trap net is within the interquartile range but much less than the catch rate in 2018. The Bluegill in the trap nets ranged in length from 3.4 to 9.1 inches with a mean length of 4.7 inches. Aquatic vegetation continues to be present and is a major factor in the persistence of a Bluegill population. The entirely native submerged vegetation that is currently in Bingham Lake is providing habitat for Bluegill and refuge for them to hide from predators. As a result of this excellent habitat the population appeared to boom during 2018 and is most likely at a more sustainable, albeit lower level now. Angling should be good for numbers and decent sized Bluegill over the next several years.

YELLOW PERCH

Sixty-five Yellow Perch were caught in gill nets and 29 Yellow Perch were caught in trap nets. Gill net and trap net catch rates of 21.7 per gill net and 3.2 per trap net were toward the upper range of the expected quartiles for both. However, the gill net catch rate was less than the long-term average of 25.0 per gill net. Yellow Perch sampled in the gill nets ranged in length from 5.6 to 11.0 inches with a mean length of 8.1 inches. In trap nets Yellow Perch ranged in length from 5.4 to 10.5 inches with a mean length of 7.5 inches. Body condition of the Yellow Perch in the sample was less than average, but the fish appeared healthy. Yellow Perch appear to be well established with a balanced size structure. The population of Yellow Perch should increase in Bingham Lake as they continue to reestablish after the 2014 winterkill and subsequent restocking. Angling could be very good in the near future.

OTHER SPECIES

Other species sampled in Bingham Lake included Black Bullhead, Black Crappie, and Pumpkinseed Sunfish. Black Bullhead catch rates were 135.7 per gill net and 89.2 per trap net, both above expected catch rate ranges. Black Crappie trap net catch rate was 0.3 per trap net, or 3 fish. Pumpkinseed trap net catch rate was 2.3 per trap net for a total of 21 fish. Common Carp were absent in 2022, along with every netting or electrofishing sampling event that was done since the winterkill of 2014. Bingham Lake is currently a simple fish community with decent abundances of managed gamefish.

SUMMARY

Overall, Bingham Lake has rebounded well from the winterkill in 2013-2014. Angling has been good for Yellow Perch and large Walleye in recent years. Northern Pike catch rates should increase with a growing population. Continued stocking of yearling or adult Walleye will occur and Yellow Perch will be stocked if the gill net catch rate is less than 2.0 per net in any survey. In the meantime, barring another winterkill or summerkill, angling on Bingham Lake should be good, if not excellent.