Hot weather is likely contributing to fish die-offs in lakes throughout Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said spring and summer fish die-offs happen occasionally, and they are getting widespread reports of dead fish following the recent prolonged stretch of hot weather.
The DNR encourages you to report fish die-offs by calling the state duty officer at 651‐649‐5451 or 800‐422‐0798 if you encounter a large group of dead fish in a lake or a stream (the state duty officer is available 24 hours per day, seven days a week). Calling in a report provides a single point of contact for the incident. An early report also allows timely water sampling or other response actions, if needed. It’s especially helpful to know what fish types and sizes people see in a fish die-off.
In mid-spring and summer, fish die-offs are often the result of warming water and opportunistic infections that spread in fish populations that are already stressed after the spawning season. Species commonly observed in these die-offs include sunfish, crappies, and bullheads, and, occasionally, largemouth bass and northern pike.
