Bearskin Lake
Cook County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 16022800
Bearskin Lake has no DNR stocking rows in LakeFinder; this page carries its DNR depth, access and survey data.
- Bearskin Lake shows no stocking records in Minnesota DNR LakeFinder as of .
- Maximum depth 78 ft, mean depth 31 ft; surface area 509 acres, 94 littoral acres, 8.3 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 19.4 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake trout, northern pike, rainbow smelt, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow perch.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Cook County, nearest town Grand Marais; DNR lake number (DOW) 16022800.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 8/4/1982 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| CA | USF | Carry-in from parking area on trail between Hungry Jack and West Bearskin Lakes, on Cook County Road 65. Parking for four vehicles. |
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | Launch on east end of lake, off Cook County Road 66 (Clearwater Lake Road), with a dock and parking for six vehicles. |
DNR fish survey, 2023
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RBS | Small-mesh gill nets | 33.67 | 101 | 0.03 |
| Northern pike | Shallow gill nets | 4.67 | 14 | 2.77 |
| Smallmouth bass | Shallow gill nets | 4.00 | 12 | 0.99 |
| Yellow perch | Shallow gill nets | 2.00 | 6 | 0.11 |
| RBS | Shallow gill nets | 1.67 | 5 | 0.03 |
| Bluegill | Shallow gill nets | 1.00 | 3 | 0.10 |
| Lake trout | Shallow gill nets | 0.33 | 1 | 4.38 |
| Green sunfish | Shallow gill nets | 0.33 | 1 | 0.09 |
| RBS | Deep gill nets | 3.83 | 23 | 0.03 |
| Lake trout | Deep gill nets | 2.17 | 13 | 3.87 |
| Yellow perch | Deep gill nets | 0.67 | 4 | 0.10 |
| Northern pike | Deep gill nets | 0.67 | 4 | 5.20 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 0.58 | 7 | 0.09 |
| Green sunfish | Standard trap nets | 0.50 | 6 | 0.06 |
| Smallmouth bass | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 4 | 1.40 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.08 | 1 | 3.11 |
Catch per net (CPUE) is the DNR survey's count per gill net or trap net set; higher means more of that species were sampled, not a fishing forecast. Top species per gear shown; where we have no verified common name for a DNR code, the code itself is shown.
West Bearskin Lake is a 509-acre lake located 23 miles northwest of Grand Marais with a public access boat launch on the east shore of the lake and carry-in portage landing along the south shore. Primary and secondary management species in West Bearskin Lake are lake trout and smallmouth bass. The 2023 standard lake survey was conducted to monitor the fish community in West Bearskin, record current limnological conditions, and evaluate management goals for lake trout and smallmouth bass populations. Lake trout abundance was slightly below average but within the normal range West Bearskin Lake. Catch rates continued to meet management goals. Lake trout ranged from 11.7 to 26.5 inches in length. Aging data obtained from captured lake trout indicated fish were from 7 different naturally reproduced year classes and up to 13 years old. No fish were found from the last stocking event in 2009. The 2023 survey results suggest that West Bearskin Lake continues to support a relatively healthy naturally reproducing lake trout population. Naturally reproducing lake trout populations are unique in Minnesota lakes, anglers targeting lake trout should consider catch and release practices with safe handling procedures. Smallmouth bass abundance was high in West Bearskin Lake and above average for similar lakes in the area. Smallmouth bass management goals were met. Fish ranged from 5.9 to 17.4 inches with a mean length of 10.8 inches. West Bearskin Lake should provide good opportunities for anglers looking to target smallmouth bass in both quality and quantity. Northern pike abundance was well above average for similar lakes and in the upper range for West Bearskin Lake. Northern pike captured in the survey ranged from 16.6 to 35.2 inches with a mean length of 23.1 inches. West Bearskin provides anglers the opportunity of catching memorable sized (> 34 inches) fish. Bluegill, green sunfish, and yellow perch relative abundances in trap nets were low and similar to historical values. However, yellow perch catch rates in gill net sets were high. None of these fish were found larger than 7 inches and would not be of interest to anglers. Rainbow smelt abundance was down from the previous two surveys, but comparable to historic catches. Smelt can provide forage for lake trout, but may also compete with young lake trout, and may prey directly on larval fish. Cook County, Minnesota lakes continue to be susceptible to aquatic invasive species introductions. Invasive species have the potential to significantly alter fish communities and overall lake health. Anglers should clean…
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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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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