Chant Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 69017200
DNR records show 10 stocking entries at Chant Lake since 2016, most recently rainbow trout fingerlings in 2025 (1,100 fish).
- Chant Lake has 10 DNR stocking records across 10 years (2016-2025): rainbow trout (7), brook trout (3).
- The most-stocked species by count is rainbow trout: 7,700 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 37 ft; surface area 16 acres, 9 littoral acres, 0.9 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 13.0 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: brook trout, rainbow trout.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- St. Louis County, nearest town Ely; DNR lake number (DOW) 69017200.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Rainbow Trout | fingerlings | 1,100 | 46.8 |
| 2024 | Brook Trout | fingerlings | 1,100 | 22.4 |
| 2023 | Rainbow Trout | fingerlings | 1,100 | 84.6 |
| 2022 | Brook Trout | fingerlings | 903 | 33.0 |
| 2021 | Rainbow Trout | fingerlings | 1,100 | 95.7 |
| 2020 | Brook Trout | fingerlings | 550 | 24.5 |
| 2019 | Rainbow Trout | fingerlings | 1,100 | 91.7 |
| 2018 | Rainbow Trout | fingerlings | 1,100 | 91.7 |
| 2017 | Rainbow Trout | fingerlings | 1,100 | 59.5 |
| 2016 | Rainbow Trout | fingerlings | 1,100 | 37.9 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| CA | USF | - Portage trail is on WSW shore of Chant Lk. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brook trout | Standard gill nets | 10.50 | 21 | 0.87 |
| Rainbow trout | Standard gill nets | 2.50 | 5 | 1.72 |
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.
Chant is a 26-acre designated stream trout lake located five miles northwest of Ely in the Superior National Forest. It is most comparable to fellow stream trout lakes Alruss, Louis, and Trygg. All four are proven brook trout producers. Maximum depth is 37 feet and the lake is clear. Chant was thermally stratified during the survey with a surface temperature of 70 °F and a bottom temperature of 43 °F. Dissolved oxygen levels suitable for trout were present to 18 feet where the temperature was 50 °F. Aquatic vegetation is limited to the two shallow bays but is locally abundant. Access is by a steep 40-rod portage from the North Arm of Burntside Lake. An alternate winter route has been established through the bog-fringe and out the black ash drainage south to Burntside. Both trails require equal measures of finesse and commitment with a snowmobile due to rock features. The lake is situated in a steep bedrock bowl accented with mature pines and a lone island. A user-developed campsite with limited tent pad options is present on the east shore of the lake. There are few locales that are more scenic to fish trout in the area. Only trout were captured in the 2025 survey. Total catch was 13.0/net with a yield of 13.4 lb/net, both of which were above average. This was the second highest catch on record for Chant, topped only by a very high splake catch in the 1990 survey. Brook trout abundance (10.5/net) was over four times greater than the historic average. Lengths ranged from 8.5 to 16.5 inches, with an average length of 12.5 inches. Length-frequency suggests the presence of two year classes. Fish 8 to 9 inches long would be fingerlings stocked the previous fall, while the remainder ranging from 13-16 inches were likely all three years old. Rainbow trout numbers (2.5/net) were above average for Chant. Lengths ranged from 15 to nearly 19 inches, with an average length of 16 inches high for the lake. Length-frequency suggests two year classes present. Catches of rainbow trout have been sporadic for decades in Chant, but this may be more related to sampling methods than presence.
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. 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.