Central

St. Louis County

Near Central Lakes

DOW: 69063700

Northern PikeExcellent · 85PumpkinseedAverage · 33BluegillPoor · 14

A 73-acre lake near Central Lakes in St. Louis County — best known for pike and panfish. Last surveyed 1999.

Fish Species (7)

Northern Pike

Excellent · 85

Typical numbers · large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

26.3"

Avg Weight

4.04 lbs

Catch rate: 6.0 per gill net · typical 3–8.3 for a lake like this

Size of catchable northern pike100% keeper-size (24"+)

All keeper-sizeLargest sampled 28"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 2, 1999	6.00	26.3"	4.04 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 2, 1999	0.78	26.3"	4.20 lbs	Standard trap nets

Pumpkinseed

Average · 33

Typical numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

4.0"

Avg Weight

0.14 lbs

Catch rate: 2.7 per trap net · typical 0.7–3.4 for a lake like this

Size of catchable pumpkinseed0% keeper-size (8"+)

3–7" · 100%Largest sampled 6"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 2, 1999	70.50	4.0"	-	1/4-in trap nets
Aug 2, 1999	2.67	4.0"	0.14 lbs	Standard trap nets

Bluegill

Poor · 14

Below-normal numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

3.7"

Avg Weight

0.10 lbs

Catch rate: 1.8 per trap net · typical 2.3–7.8 for a lake like this

Size of catchable bluegill0% keeper-size (8"+)

3–7" · 100%Largest sampled 7"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 2, 1999	6.00	3.7"	0.02 lbs	1/4-in trap nets
Aug 2, 1999	1.78	3.7"	0.10 lbs	Standard trap nets

Yellow Perch

Poor · 5

Below-normal numbers · small fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

2.2"

Avg Weight

0.08 lbs

Catch rate: 1.0 per gill net · typical 4.5–19 for a lake like this

Size of catchable yellow perch0% keeper-size (9"+)

5–8" · 100%Largest sampled 8"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 2, 1999	0.89	2.2"	0.14 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 2, 1999	92.00	2.2"	-	1/4-in trap nets
Aug 2, 1999	1.00	2.2"	0.08 lbs	Standard gill nets

Other species in this lake (3)

Rough fish, bullheads, and baitfish recorded in DNR surveys — present in the lake, but not typical angling targets.

Brown Bullhead

Excellent · 80

Above-normal numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

8.6"

Avg Weight

0.79 lbs

Catch rate: 5.3 per trap net · typical 0.4–3.9 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 2, 1999	5.33	8.6"	0.79 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 2, 1999	15.50	8.6"	-	1/4-in trap nets

Yellow Bullhead

Good · 52

Below-normal numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

9.0"

Avg Weight

1.00 lbs

Catch rate: 0.22 per trap net · typical 0.3–2.2 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 2, 1999	0.22	9.0"	1.00 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 2, 1999	0.50	9.0"	-	1/4-in trap nets

Black Bullhead

Average · 48

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1999

Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution

Avg Size

5.5"

Avg Weight

0.28 lbs

Catch rate: 6.2 per trap net · typical 0.8–24.6 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 2, 1999	6.22	5.5"	0.28 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 2, 1999	16.00	5.5"	-	1/4-in trap nets
Aug 2, 1999	88.00	5.5"	0.13 lbs	Standard gill nets

See the best northern pike lakes in Minnesota

Fishing Regulations

Statewide limits

Standard statewide Minnesota limits for the species in this lake.

Northern Pike

Season: May 9, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

Northeast zone

Angling: 2 (not more than 1 over 40" in possession. All from 30-40" must be immediatley released).

Sunfish

20 combined total

Perch

20 daily and 40 in possession

More statewide rules (spearing, rough fish)

Northern Pike

Season: Nov 15, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

Northeast zone

Darkhouse spearing: 2 (Not more than 1 over 26").

Bullhead

100

This lake is near a regulation-zone boundary — verify the zone on the DNR map.

Biologist Notes

August 2, 1999Central is a 75 acre lake with 62 (83%) acres of littoral area and maximum depth 19 feet. Central Lake is located adjacent to State Highway #53, just…

Central is a 75 acre lake with 62 (83%) acres of littoral area and maximum depth 19 feet. Central Lake is located adjacent to State Highway #53, just South of Central Lakes. Central Lake has no developed public access. Fish population investigations have been conducted in 1975 and 1999. Due to the small size of Central Lake, only one experimental gillnet was set during the 1999 survey. Because of this limited gillnet effort, trapnet catch rates will be used to evaluate abundance for all species. Northern pike abundance indexed with assessment nets was 0.8 per lift in 1999. Size and growth of northern pike were both good. Mean length of sampled northern pike was 27.2 inches and length at the beginning of their fourth year of life was 25.0 inches. Bluegill and pumpkinseed sunfish abundance indexed with assessment nets were both typical compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Size of sampled bluegill was small but growth was fast. Bluegill mean length was 4.6 inches and length at the beginning of their fourth year of life was 6.2 inches. Size of sampled pumpkinseed sunfish was small with a mean length of 4.5 inches. Black bullhead and brown bullhead abundance indexed with assessment nets were both typical compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length of black and brown bullhead was 6.4 and 9.1 inches from the 1999 investigation. Yellow bullhead were also sampled at low abundance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish can you catch in Central?

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, and Yellow Perch in Central. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Is there public access at Central?

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Central. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

How deep is Central?

Central has a maximum depth of 19 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

When were the main sport fish in Central last surveyed?

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Central is from 1999. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

Does Central have any invasive species?

No invasive species are on record for Central in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.

Are there special fishing regulations on Central?

No — Central has no lake-specific regulations in the 2026 Minnesota DNR regulations, so statewide Minnesota limits apply. The statewide sunfish limit is: 20 combined total. Verify current rules with the Minnesota DNR before keeping fish.