Leech Lake is a lake located in north central Minnesota, United States. It is southeast of Bemidji, located mainly within the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, and completely within the Chippewa National Forest. It is used as a reservoir. The lake is the third largest in Minnesota, covering with of shoreline and has a maximum depth of .

Hydrology

Leech Lake outlets to the Leech Lake River, which flows into the Mississippi River. The sole outlet to the Leech Lake River is controlled by a dam in order to regulate water levels of the lake. Leech Lake has seven major inlets that include Portage Lake Creek, Sucker Creek, Steamboat River, Benedict River, Shingobee River, Bishop Creek, and the Boy River. There are also nine minor inlets that flow into Leech Lake. Big lake

Islands

Leech Lake hosts eleven islands that cover a total of 1,617 acres of land. 160 sq miles The following list is in order from largest to smallest. * Bear Island * Minnesota Island * Pelican Island * Headquarters Bay Island * Big Pipe Island * Goose Island * Bog (Duck) Island * Narrows Island * Little Bear Island * Little Pelican Island * Gull Island * Shingobee Island Cass county MN 200 Shangobee Island Walker Bay of Leech Lake from south IMG 1328

Cass county MN 200 Shangobee Island Walker Bay of Leech Lake from south IMG 1328

The long, narrow Shingobee Bay is part of Leech Lake, and is located on its southern end. Shingobee Bay, and the adjacent Walker Bay, boast some of the deepest parts in the entire lake.

Ecology

Invasive species

* '' Lythrum salicaria'' Also known as purple loosestrife. This is an invasive plant that takes over lake shores and marshes, replacing cattails and other native wetland plants. Purple loosestrife doesn't provide a sufficient food source, nesting area, or cover for the native animals. Also one plant can produce around two million seeds annually, and it spreads rapidly through aquatic systems. * '' Typha angustifolia'' Better known as the narrow-leaf cattail, this invasive plant is able to grow in deeper water (compared to its native counterparts). The narrow-leaf cattail competes with the native '' Typha latifolia'' (broad leaf cattail) and other native plants along Leech Lake.

Aquatic life

Leech Lake is a popular sport fishing hotspot, and is fished for many different types. The state record lake whitefish (12 lb, 4.5 oz) and pumpkinseed (1 lb, 5.6 oz) were both caught here in 1999. Walleye painting

Species of fish the lake contains: *

Black crappie The black crappie (''Pomoxis nigromaculatus'') is a freshwater fish found in North America, one of the two types of crappies. It is very similar to the white crappie in size, shape, and habits, except that it is darker, with a pattern of black sp ...

Bowfin The bowfin (''Amia calva'') is a bony fish, native to North America. Common names include mudfish, mud pike, dogfish, grindle, grinnel, swamp trout, and choupique. It is regarded as a relict, being the sole surviving species of the Halecomorphi ...

(dog fish) *

Bluegill The bluegill (''Lepomis macrochirus''), sometimes referred to as "bream", "brim", "sunny", or "copper nose" as is common in Texas, is a species of North American freshwater fish, native to and commonly found in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and ...

* Brown bullhead * Catfish * Eelpout * Hybrid sunfish * Largemouth bass * Muskellunge * Northern pike * Pumpkinseed * Rock bass * Smallmouth bass * Tullibee ( cisco) * Walleye * White sucker * Yellow bullhead * Yellow perch * Jackfish

Vegetation

* Wild rice Grows in the shallow depths of Leech Lake, emerging through over 4,000 acres of water. Wild Rice is a valuable crop for the Leech Lake community. * Bulrush Grass like plants that grow in water, they can reach lengths of around ten feet. These plants are an important food resources for aquatic life in Leech Lake.

Eagles

Leech Lake and the surrounding national forest is home to a large population of

bald eagles The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...

. They are known to return to their same nests when mature. Populations have risen over the last few decades.

History

On early maps, Leech Lake is identified in French as "lac Sangsue" ( Bloodsucker Lake), which was then translated into English to its current name; its French name was translated from the Ojibwe "''Ozagaskwaajimekaag-zaaga'igan''" (lake abundant with bloodsuckers). In 1855, the Leech Lake Indian Reservation was established on the south shore of Leech Lake, along with two other

Indian Reservation An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...

s in the area, which along with two additional Indian Reservations, the five Indian Reservations were amalgamated in 1936 to form the current "Greater" Leech Lake Indian Reservation which encompasses most all of Leech Lake. On October 5, 1898, Leech Lake was the location of a conflict between Ojibwe and Federal troops of the United States, the Battle of Sugar Point. A firefight broke out between the

3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is ' ...

and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe after one of the soldiers sent to retrieve a bootlegger mistakenly fired his rifle.

Oscar Burkard Oscar Rudolph Burkard (December 21, 1877 – February 18, 1950) was a German-American soldier who served in the U.S. Army during the Indian Wars and World War I. In 1899, he received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Sugar Po ...

received the Medal of Honor on August 21, 1899 for his participation in the battle. In the summer of 1955, Leech Lake became famous for its musky fishing, as the "Leech Lake Musky Rampage" thrust it into the spotlight when hundreds of muskies were caught in a two-week period in July.

Economy

Recreational/leisure use

Every February, Leech Lake is home to the International

Eelpout Festival The International Eelpout Festival is an annual gathering held in the town of Walker, Minnesota. It celebrates the eelpout (or burbot, scientific name ''Lota lota''), an indigenous bottom dwelling fish that inhabits the region's lakes, in some case ...

. The eelpout, also known as the Burbot, is rarely seen in Leech Lake, except in the winter when it is very plentiful. Events include a black-tie dinner, ice bowling, and a contest to see who can catch the largest eelpout.

Towns

* Leech Lake Township * Remer * Federal Dam * Whipholt * Walker * Onigum

References

External links

DNR leech lake infoLeech Lake Tourism Bureau
* Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) documentation: ** about six lakes including this one ** ** {{Authority control Historic American Engineering Record in Minnesota Lakes of Cass County, Minnesota Lakes of Minnesota