04/22/2026
SEINING PROJECT-
We would like to sein Perkins Lake. For anyone not familiar, seining the lake is to get rid of carp/rough fish by netting them. The reason being is the carp population has become very high and continues to grow. Not only does this affect swimming & fishing, it also affects the water quality. Carp & rough fish are bottom feeders which transform dormant sediment (phosphorus, nitrogen, & ammonia) into suspended nutrients. They are the most damaging invasive species to water quality and game fish in the State. Seining would be a 5-7 day project where professionals come in with boats and nets. They do this process in the spring prior to May 15th and in the fall roughly around Labor Day (or when it gets cooler). They do this to not affect swimming & boating. We are hopeful to have this done fall of 2026.
Seining is not a perfect fix that will permanently get rid of carp. Since Perkins is connected to the river, this process may have to be repeated in years to come as maintenance. The reasoning for trying to accomplish this is 2026 is because Barret lake, also connected to the river, will be seining. It would be more successful to do both lakes in the same season.
A common question is will this affect the game fish? I spoke with the DNR & the person seining and they said it does not. Their nets are larger and most game fish slip through. If a game fish is caught, they release it almost immediately. At the end of the process, If it is felt that the game fish were affected, we will stock the lake. Perkins is also on the list to stock with walleye fry in 2027.
The cost to seine is estimated to be around $20,000. Stocking the lake would be an additional cost. We will be donating a portion, but we cannot pay for it all. We are accepting donations if anyone would be willing. Donations can be made out & mailed to;
DRGC
PO Box 197
Donnelly, Mn 56235
Please put “Seining” on the check.
Overall, the DRGC believes that we all want Perkins lake to thrive as a swimming, boating, & fishing lake. This process helps create that in so many ways. Let’s team up to make that happen!
Thank you!
