Thomas Lake (Dakota County)

Dakota County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 19006700

DNR records show 1 stocking entry at Thomas Lake (Dakota County) since 2017, most recently channel catfish fry in 2017 (3,905 fish).

• Thomas Lake (Dakota County) has 1 DNR stocking record across 1 year (2017-2017): channel catfish (1).
• The most-stocked species by count is channel catfish: 3,905 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 8 ft; surface area 41 acres, 38 littoral acres, 2.6 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 4.5 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: June 20, 2016 (standard survey).
• Dakota County, nearest town Eagan; DNR lake number (DOW) 19006700.

Stocking history

DNR fish survey, 2016

Catch per net (CPUE) is the DNR survey's count per gill net or trap net set; higher means more of that species were sampled, not a fishing forecast. Top species per gear shown; where we have no verified common name for a DNR code, the code itself is shown.

Thomas Lake (unnamed 19006700) is located in the City of Eagan at the Thomas Lake Park. The park is managed by The City of Eagan Parks and Thomas Lake is co-managed by the City of Eagan Lakes and Wetlands Program and the MN DNR. The park has a fishing pier, shore fishing stations, boat access, restrooms, ample parking, and hiking trails. City regulations prohibit all usage of motor-driven watercraft, except for electric motors, on Thomas and all lakes, ponds, and impoundments lying entirely within the corporate boundaries. The lake is 38 acres with a maximum depth of about 8 feet. The 2.49 mile long shoreline is split between developed and undeveloped shorelines, with residential homes on the south side and the Thomas lake park along the north side of the lake. The lake is a good place to watch for egrets, black crowned night herons, green herons and waterfowl. There are shore fishing stations at various locations along the park shore and a fishing pier on the northeast shore not far from the parking lot. The pier makes angling easier in the mid-summer when dense vegetation grows near shore. The lake is primarily managed for Bluegill with secondary management emphasis on Largemouth Bass. Bluegills were sampled in below average numbers, and are average in size for lakes such as Thomas. The average size of Thomas Lake Bluegills is 5.5 inches. The most common size Bluegills are the 5.0 to 6.0 inch group. Additionally, 42% of the sample was over 6 inches, and the largest bluegill sampled was 7.5 inches. Largemouth Bass are fairly abundant in Thomas Lake and trapnetting found average numbers of Largemouth Bass. Black Crappies are less abundant in Thomas Lake than bluegills with only 8 Black Crappies documented in 2016. About half the fish were between 7.0 and 9.5 inches, with the largest being 9.5 inches. Also sampled in low to below average numbers were Black Bullhead, Hybrid and Pumpkinseed Sunfish and Golden Shiners.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, June 20, 2016.

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