Cub Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 69131800
DNR records show 10 stocking entries at Cub Lake since 2016, most recently brook trout yearlings in 2025 (825 fish).
- Cub Lake has 10 DNR stocking records across 10 years (2016-2025): brook trout (7), rainbow trout (3).
- The most-stocked species by count is brook trout: 5,675 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 39 ft; surface area 7 acres, 3 littoral acres, 0.4 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 15.0 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: brook trout, white sucker.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- St. Louis County, nearest town Ely; DNR lake number (DOW) 69131800.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 8/11/1981 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Brook Trout | yearlings | 825 | 226.0 |
| 2024 | Brook Trout | yearlings | 825 | 138.7 |
| 2023 | Brook Trout | yearlings | 825 | 202.7 |
| 2022 | Brook Trout | yearlings | 825 | 89.7 |
| 2021 | Brook Trout | yearlings | 825 | 468.8 |
| 2020 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 800 | 296.3 |
| 2019 | Brook Trout | yearlings | 800 | 357.1 |
| 2018 | Brook Trout8 | yearlings | 750 | 297.6 |
| 2017 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 800 | 266.7 |
| 2016 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 800 | 290.9 |
8 fish cooperatively purchased, raised, and/or stocked by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| CA | Minnesota DNR | - 100 yard portage down steep hill from Bear Head Lake State Park road. Cub Lake is within Bear Head Lake State Park. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 0.50 | 1 | 0.28 |
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.
Cub is a 7.5-acre designated stream trout lake located 12 miles southwest of Ely in Bear Head State Park. Cub has clear water with a light green tint, and historic Secchi visibility has averaged 15 feet. Aquatic vegetation is extremely sparse, and the basin forms an uninterrupted bowl shape with a maximum depth of 39 feet. Bottom substrates vary from boulder to gravel with limited organic muck. Access is by a 90-yard carry-down from a small lot near the park headquarters. A fringe of old-growth pine accents a forest of regenerating birch. These large trees find Cub as their final resting place and submerged timber is abundant. The floating logs decay slowly and support a unique bog micro-habitat. A State Park parking permit is required to fish the lake. A lone 9-inch white sucker was the only fish caught during the survey. White sucker have been intermittently sampled in low abundances and in limited sizes since trout stocking began. A trout catch of zero is not unprecedented from Cub. Catch rates have varied from 0-8.0/net, with a modern average of 1.9/net. Angling reports have remained positive and the zero is likely a byproduct of both intensive fishing pressure and limited sampling.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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