Burntside Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 69011800
DNR records show 6 stocking entries at Burntside Lake since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2024 (700,000 fish).
- Burntside Lake has 6 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2016-2024): walleye (6).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 847,158 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 126 ft; surface area 7,314 acres, 1,478 littoral acres, 103.5 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 18.1 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, burbot, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake trout, lake whitefish, northern pike, rainbow smelt, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, and 3 more.
- 10 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- St. Louis County, nearest town Ely; DNR lake number (DOW) 69011800.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 8/27/1949 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | fry | 700,000 | 6.1 |
| 2024 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 26,588 | 1,463.4 |
| 2022 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 41,440 | 1,480.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 17,012 | 561.5 |
| 2018 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 22,170 | 1,478.0 |
| 2016 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 39,948 | 1,476.9 |
2 fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.
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 | Off the Van Vac Rd. Parking for approx. 20 vehicles. |
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | Good access with parking. |
| concrete ramp | USF | Also Burntside end of Slim Lake Portage. Limited parking. |
| concrete ramp | county | Access is right at Burntside Lodge Resort. Limited parking. |
| gravel ramp | county | Limited parking, tight turn-around. |
| PO | USF | 1/8 mile portage from Little Long Lake. |
| PO | USF | 1 miles portage from Crab Lake. |
| PO | Minnesota DNR | 3/8 mile portage from Hanson Lake. |
| PO | USF | 3/4 mile portage from Twin Lakes to the North Arm of Burntside. |
| C | Minnesota DNR | Motorable route, 1.4 miles from Twin Lakes. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Burntside Lake on August 20th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Trout, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake (lake Whitefish and Cisco, also known as Tulibee are present). During the summer, Lake Trout require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 8.8 degrees C (47.8 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on the profile from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth 124.6 feet), the water temperature decreased below 8.8 degrees C (47.8 degrees F) at 43.3 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 113.0 feet at the time of sampling. The thickness of this layer of water in the water column was 69.7 feet, indicating that oxythermal habitat was present for Lake Trout. Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 4.7 degrees C (40.5 degrees F). TDO3 values cooler than 8.8 degrees C (47.8 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were suitable for Lake Trout at the time of the survey. Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the late summer period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 2011 and 2024 also indicate suitable oxythermal habitat. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Lake Trout 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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