Fishing Middle Lake

Middle Lake's standout fishery is Black Crappie with 94% legal size and most fish at least 8 inches long - well above the 75th percentile for crappie abundance statewide. The lake is absolutely dominated by Bluegill with 2,465 fish comprising 86% of the catch, though only 16% exceed the 6-inch harvest size. Bluegill growth runs average with the state but the population is heavily skewed toward young fish, with 56% measuring just 1-2 inches. Largemouth Bass show a concerning pattern with only 14% reaching the 14-inch minimum despite growth improving from a terrible -2.2 index in 2002 to -0.7 in 2022. The lake holds decent bass tournaments with 55 tournament days between 2016-2022, though fish weights average below state norms. The deep structure creates serious summer fishing challenges as dissolved oxygen disappears completely below 14 feet, compared to 16 feet in 2002 - a significant habitat loss in just 20 years. Fish must concentrate in the upper 11 feet during summer stratification when oxygen drops to 3 ppm. The substrate transitions from pulpy peat to muck in the deepest areas over 30 feet, with sand and marl near shore providing better structure. Northern Pike remain scarce with just one 29-inch fish captured, well below the 25th percentile for abundance. The DNR plans Walleye stocking to address the light predator pressure and improve panfish size structure. At 134 acres with over 50% deeper than 20 feet, the lake offers good structure when oxygen allows, but summer fishing focuses on the shallower zones where fish concentrate.