Bad Medicine Lake
Encyclopedia
Bad Medicine Lake is a spring-fed lake
located in Forest Township
in Becker County, Minnesota
. It got its name from the fact that early Native Americans
in the area thought that a lake with neither inlet nor outlet was a place of bad omen ("bad medicine") and would not hunt or fish near the lake. The lake is approximately five miles long, a half mile wide, and reaches depths of up to 90 feet (27.4 m). It is known for its clear, cold waters and rainbow trout
fishing. It has experienced dramatic changes in its fish habitat and fish community in the last 35 years. Regarded as a bass
/panfish lake in the 1950s and 1960s, the lake is now managed primarily for rainbow trout and walleye
. The DNR turned Bad Medicine Lake into a trout lake in 1977, following an explosion of native crayfish
that eliminated the vegetation used by bass
and panfish
. Roughly 16,000 rainbow trout are stocked annually, including Kamloops and Madison strains. There are two active resorts located on the lake. Veronen's Resort is a family owned and operated campground established in the late 1940s by Bill and Gertie Veronen. The second resort is High Pines Resort owned by Ray and Lynette Vlasak.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located in Forest Township
Forest Township, Becker County, Minnesota
Forest Township is a township in Becker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 58 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and is water...
in Becker County, Minnesota
Becker County, Minnesota
Becker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 32,504. Its county seat is Detroit Lakes. A portion of the White Earth Indian Reservation extends into the county.-History:...
. It got its name from the fact that early Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in the area thought that a lake with neither inlet nor outlet was a place of bad omen ("bad medicine") and would not hunt or fish near the lake. The lake is approximately five miles long, a half mile wide, and reaches depths of up to 90 feet (27.4 m). It is known for its clear, cold waters and rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
fishing. It has experienced dramatic changes in its fish habitat and fish community in the last 35 years. Regarded as a bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
/panfish lake in the 1950s and 1960s, the lake is now managed primarily for rainbow trout and walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
. The DNR turned Bad Medicine Lake into a trout lake in 1977, following an explosion of native crayfish
Crayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
that eliminated the vegetation used by bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
and panfish
Panfish
A panfish, also spelled pan-fish or pan fish, is an edible game fish that usually doesn't outgrow the size of a frying pan. The term is also commonly used by anglers to refer to any small catch that will fit in a pan, but is large enough to be legal. However its definition and usage varies with...
. Roughly 16,000 rainbow trout are stocked annually, including Kamloops and Madison strains. There are two active resorts located on the lake. Veronen's Resort is a family owned and operated campground established in the late 1940s by Bill and Gertie Veronen. The second resort is High Pines Resort owned by Ray and Lynette Vlasak.