Bear Island Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 69011500
DNR records show 5 stocking entries at Bear Island Lake since 2017, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (900,000 fish).
- Bear Island Lake has 5 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2017-2025): walleye (5).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 4,600,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 62 ft; surface area 2,362 acres, 879 littoral acres, 28.5 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 8.2 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, burbot, cisco species, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), and 4 more.
- 3 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- St. Louis County, nearest town Babbitt; DNR lake number (DOW) 69011500.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 8/11/1981 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 900,000 | 9.9 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 900,000 | 8.2 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 900,000 | 9.1 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 900,000 | 9.1 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 1,000,000 | 9.4 |
Field note · Minnesota stocks by year, not by truck day: walleye fry go in within weeks of ice-out, fingerlings and yearlings mostly in fall, and stream trout in spring and fall. A row here means the fish went in during that year; DNR adds the year's rows after the fact, so the current year can look empty until winter.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | SW end of lake. From Co. Rd. # 21, west 1.68 miles on UT # 8217 (Old Co. Rd. # 904), then north on UT # 8207 (Old Co. Rd. # 490), Bear Island Rd. W. 1.95 miles to the access. - Parking for approx. 6 vehicles. |
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | East side of lake. From Co. Rd. # 21, go NW on Co. Rd. # 684 (Escape Rd.) 0.6 mile to the access. Access is just west of Timber Wolf Lodge. - Tight turnaround, parking for 5-6 vehicles along road. |
| gravel ramp | TOW | Northeast side of lake. From Co. Rd. # 21, go west onTwp. Rd. # 4134 (Bear Island River Rd.) approx. 4 miles, then left on Verbick Rd. 100 yards to access. - Parking for 2-3 vehicles. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Bear Island Lake on July 31st, 2025. This was done to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. Cisco require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on data collected from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth was 55.8 feet), the water temperature decreased to 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) at 14.8 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 42.6 feet at the time of sampling. This layer in the water column was 27.8 feet, indicating oxythermal habitat for Cisco was present. Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 10.6 degrees C (51.1 degrees F). TDO3 values cooler than 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were suitable for Cisco at the time of the survey. Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 2021, 2023, 2024 also indicated suitable oxythermal habitat in all years surveyed, with the least favorable conditions recorded in 2024 when the suitable oxythermal habitat layer was 11.2 feet thick. When adequate oxythermal habitat is not available, Cisco are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
All Minnesota stockings · every Minnesota lake with a page · state CSV · this lake on DNR LakeFinder
Stocking rows, depths, accesses and survey figures are Minnesota DNR LakeFinder data as of 2026-09-02; contours are the DNR bathymetric survey. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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