Once an also-ran, Lake Shaokotan in Minnesota’s Lincoln County now a southern fishing gem

Given its inclusion in the state’s Sentinel Lakes Program – an intensive, long-term ecosystem-monitoring project – there are a lot of people keeping a close eye on Lincoln County’s Lake Shaokotan. The Minnesota DNR, along with other agencies and groups, is monitoring the lake’s physical, chemical, and biological changes.
Beyond the management of the lake’s fish community, Shaokotan is sampled intensely for changes in water quality, aquatic plants, zooplankton, and other health indicators. Over the years, there have been many changes in this 996-acre lake, none more notable than its water quality.