Caribou Lake (Itasca County)
Itasca County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 31062000
DNR records show 1 stocking entry at Caribou Lake (Itasca County) since 2017, most recently lake trout yearlings in 2017 (1,313 fish).
- Caribou Lake (Itasca County) has 1 DNR stocking record across 1 year (2017-2017): lake trout (1).
- The most-stocked species by count is lake trout: 1,313 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 152 ft; surface area 246 acres, 45 littoral acres, 3.5 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 30.8 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: bluegill, lake trout, largemouth bass, rock bass, smallmouth bass, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Itasca County, nearest town Marcell; DNR lake number (DOW) 31062000.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey; depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Lake Trout | yearlings | 1,313 | 112.4 |
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 | USF | USFS access on southwest shore of lake off Hwy. 38. |
DNR fish survey, 2022
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock bass | Standard gill nets | 7.00 | 21 | 0.40 |
| Smallmouth bass | Standard gill nets | 6.00 | 18 | 1.17 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 4.33 | 13 | 0.29 |
| Lake trout | Standard gill nets | 1.67 | 5 | 6.35 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 1.00 | 3 | 2.50 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 1.00 | 3 | 0.05 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard gill nets | 0.67 | 2 | 0.76 |
| Yellow perch | Deep gill nets | 4.33 | 26 | 0.26 |
| Lake trout | Deep gill nets | 3.33 | 20 | 3.05 |
| Rock bass | Deep gill nets | 1.33 | 8 | 0.39 |
| Smallmouth bass | Deep gill nets | 0.83 | 5 | 1.30 |
| Largemouth bass | Deep gill nets | 0.50 | 3 | 1.28 |
| Bluegill | Deep gill nets | 0.17 | 1 | 0.18 |
| White sucker | Deep gill nets | 0.17 | 1 | 2.20 |
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.
Caribou Lake is located about six miles south of Marcell and in the Chippewa National Forest. Fish production is limited due to low fertility associated with oligotrophic conditions. Caribou Lake has a long history of trout management and has been primarily managed for Lake Trout since 1942. Management has consisted mainly of numerous stockings. Most stocked fish were given a specific fin clip to help differentiate between stocked fish and natural reproduction since 1990. Stocking was discontinued after 2017 due to poor returns from stocking and because natural reproduction appeared capable of maintaining the fishery. The 2016 lake management plan (LMP) lists Lake Trout as a primary management species, with a deep-water gill net goal of 3.0/net. Because quality size Smallmouth Bass have been sampled in most surveys, the plan includes a goal of maintaining the presence of Smallmouth Bass greater than 17 inches. The 2022 targeted survey was conducted to evaluate the status of the Lake Trout population as well as to collect additional pre-regulation data. An experimental Lake Trout regulation will be implemented in the spring, 2023. Lake Trout will have a minimum harvest size limit of 20 inches with a one fish bag limit. Lake Trout are seldom abundant due to the nature of the cold, infertile lakes they inhabit. They often occupy deep, open water area difficult to sample, so low catch rates are not uncommon. Catches in deep-water gill nets have ranged from 1.0 to 4.8/net since 1987. The 2022 catch of 3.3/net attained the management plan goal. No fin clipped fish were sampled. Trout ranged from 7.9 to 32.6 inches with an average length of 17.4 inches in deep-water gill nets. The wide range of lengths suggests recruitment has been consistent. The lack of fin clips indicated these fish originated from natural reproduction. Past surveys suggest Yellow Perch, especially their early life stages, are an important prey species for Lake Trout in Caribou Lake. Perch were sampled at a rate of 4.3/net in deep-water gill nets. Catches in deep-water gill nets have ranged from 0 to 5.4/net but have averaged about two per net. Lengths ranged from 6.5 to 12.2 inches with an average length of 8.4 inches, suggesting a modest size distribution. Catches in deep-water gill nets tend to be low and may not reflect the numbers of other species. Three gill nets were set above the thermocline at depths more suitable for cool-water species. Smallmouth Bass were sampled at a rate of 6.0/net, well above catches for comparable lakes yet similar to the previous survey (5.7/net). Lengths…
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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