Byllesby

Lake Byllesby is located on the Goodhue and Dakota county line near the town of Cannon Falls. It is a 1,435-acre run of the river reservoir on the Cannon River created by a hydroelectric dam. Lake Byllesby has three public access, two on the lower end of the lake and one on the upper end. A fisheries survey consisting of trap netting and gill netting was completed in June 2023. A fall night-time electrofishing assessment was not completed as part of this survey. The last gill net and trap net survey was completed June 2019, however surveys previous to 2014 were completed in July. The gill-net catch rates of Walleye and Yellow Perch increased from the 2019 survey. Channel Catfish, Northern Pike, and White Bass catch rates were similar to 2019 survey. However, Black Crappie catch rate decreased from historic high in 2019. The trap-nets had an increase in Bluegill and Walleye, however other game species catch rates were similar to 2019. Excess nutrients from run off create excessive algal blooms and high turbidity limits growth of aquatic vegetation. The lack of aquatic vegetation likely impacts game fish species in Lake Byllesby. The timing of the annual drawdown that starts on October 1st and ends with refill of the reservoir by May 15 may limit the available spawning habitat for gamefish species. The upper end of the reservoir is highly impacted by excessive sedimentation, creating shallow mud and sand flats at normal lake levels. The fish community present in Lake Byllesby is similar to other reservoirs with a mix of lake and river species of fish. Lake Byllesby can provide a decent fishery, especially in the winter when anglers typically target Black Crappie and Walleye. The reservoir may provide over-winter habitat for many species of fish in the Cannon River, including Walleye.

Lake Byllesby is located on the Goodhue, Dakota county line near the town of Cannon Falls. It is a 1,435 acre run of the river reservoir on the Cannon River created by a hydroelectric dam. Lake Byllesby has three public access, two on the lower end of the lake and one on the upper end. A fall night-time electrofishing assessment was completed October 2022. Three stations were sampled, and the water temperature was 44.9 degrees Fahrenheit. A total of 84 Walleye were sampled for a catch rate of 54.3/hour, this is slightly above the average of 47.2/hour. High turbidity and excess nutrients from run off create excessive algal blooms, which limits growth of aquatic vegetation. The lack of aquatic vegetation likely impacts game fish species in Lake Byllesby. The upper end of the reservoir is highly impacted by excessive sedimentation, creating shallow mud and sand flats at normal lake levels. The reservoir may provide over-winter habitat for many species of fish in the Cannon River, including Walleye.

Lake Byllesby is located on the Goodhue, Dakota county line near the town of Cannon Falls. It is a 1,435 acre run of the river reservoir on the Cannon River created by a hydroelectric dam. Lake Byllesby has three public access, two on the lower end of the lake and one on the upper end. A fisheries survey consisting of trap netting and gill netting was completed in June 2019. A fall night-time electrofishing assessment was completed October 2019. The last gill net and trap net survey was completed June 2014, however surveys previous to 2014 were completed in July. The catch rates of game fish in the gill nets were up considerably from previous surveys, however game fish in the trap nets were less than previous surveys. Electrofishing had a slightly lower catch rates for Walleye, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass than previous surveys. High turbidity and excess nutrients from run off create excessive algal blooms, which limits growth of aquatic vegetation. The lack of aquatic vegetation likely impacts game fish species in Lake Byllesby. The upper end of the reservoir is highly impacted by excessive sedimentation, creating shallow mud and sand flats at normal lake levels. The fish community present in Lake Byllesby is similar to other reservoirs with a mix of lake and river species of fish. Lake Byllesby can provide a decent fishery, especially in the winter when anglers typically target Black Crappie and Walleye. The reservoir may provide over-winter habitat for many species of fish in the Cannon River, including Walleye.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Channel Catfish, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, and Smallmouth Bass in Byllesby. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Byllesby. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Byllesby has a maximum depth of 50 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Byllesby is from 2023.

Yes — Byllesby has confirmed flowering rush and zebra mussel. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.