Brule Lake
Cook County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 16034800
Brule Lake has no DNR stocking rows in LakeFinder; this page carries its DNR depth, access and survey data.
- Brule Lake shows no stocking records in Minnesota DNR LakeFinder as of .
- Maximum depth 78 ft, mean depth 35 ft; surface area 4,327 acres, 1,431 littoral acres, 63.1 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 16.2 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: cisco species, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Cook County, nearest town Grand Marais; DNR lake number (DOW) 16034800.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey; depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | USF | - Brule Lake is entirely inside the BWCAW; and is closed to motorized use. Parking available at the access for 20 vehicles. |
| CA | USF | - Portage trails from numerous BWCAW lakes; including S. Temperance; Vernon; Echo; S. Cone; Cam; Juno; and Lily Lakes. |
DNR fish survey, 2023
A temperature-dissolved oxygen profile was collected in the deepest basin on Brule Lake on August 24th, 2023, to evaluate the amount of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee. Based on the profile, the top of the thermocline (i.e., the location in the water column with the sharpest transition from warm to cold water) occurred at approximately 23 feet. Dissolved oxygen decreased to below 3.0 mg/L at 60.4 feet, which was below the thermocline, at the time of sampling. The temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to below 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 8.8°C (47.8°F). TDO3 values cooler than 21.5°C indicate that oxythermal conditions are favorable for Cisco. Dissolved oxygen concentrations below the thermocline indicate that suitable oxythermal habitat for Cisco was available across a range of depths at the time of sampling during the summer of 2023. Data collected in 1977 and 1983 also indicated suitable oxythermal habitat. When adequate oxythermal habitat is available, Cisco are not squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and therefore do not 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.
Hear when the states we cover post stockings
One email a week in season: which waters in the states we cover were stocked, straight from the state agencies' own postings. No spam, no fishing-gear ads in the mail.
Free · double opt-in · unsubscribe anytime · we store only your email.