Dry Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 69006400
DNR records show 10 stocking entries at Dry Lake since 2016, most recently brook trout fingerlings in 2025 (5,512 fish).
- Dry Lake has 10 DNR stocking records across 9 years (2016-2025): splake (5), brown trout (4), brook trout (1).
- The most-stocked species by count is splake: 17,912 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 44 ft; surface area 82 acres, 17 littoral acres, 1.7 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 11.5 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: bluegill, brown trout, cisco species, splake, white sucker.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- St. Louis County, nearest town Ely; DNR lake number (DOW) 69006400.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 9/21/1976 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Brook Trout | fingerlings | 5,512 | 220.1 |
| 2024 | Brown Trout | fingerlings | 2,050 | 82.0 |
| 2023 | Splake | fingerlings | 4,100 | 123.3 |
| 2022 | Splake | fingerlings | 4,400 | 120.2 |
| 2021 | Brown Trout | yearlings | 2,050 | 386.8 |
| 2020 | Splake | fingerlings | 1,600 | 46.0 |
| 2019 | Splake | fingerlings | 3,712 | 99.8 |
| 2018 | Brown Trout | yearlings | 2,050 | 482.4 |
| 2016 | Brown Trout | yearlings | 2,050 | 554.0 |
| 2016 | Splake | fingerlings | 4,100 | 102.5 |
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 | 125 yard portage from Bass Lake. |
| CA | USF | 1/4 mile portage from High Lake. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Dry Lake on August 6th, 2025. This was done to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. Cisco require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on data collected from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth was 42.0 feet), the water temperature decreased to 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) at 11.4 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 19.3 feet at the time of sampling. This layer in the water column was 7.9 feet, indicating oxythermal habitat for Cisco was present. Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 9.1 degrees C (48.4 degrees F). TDO3 values cooler than 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were suitable for Cisco at the time of the survey. Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 2024 also indicated suitable oxythermal habitat. When adequate oxythermal habitat is not available, Cisco 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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