Finger Lake
Cook County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 16064600
DNR records show 4 stocking entries at Finger Lake since 2018, most recently walleye fry in 2023 (200,000 fish).
- Finger Lake has 4 DNR stocking records across 4 years (2018-2023): walleye (4).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 800,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 14 ft; surface area 204 acres, 204 littoral acres, 2.9 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 6.4 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Cook County, nearest town Tofte; DNR lake number (DOW) 16064600.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 1.8 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 2.1 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 2.0 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 200,000 | 2.3 |
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| PO | USF | Portage trail (30 rods) north of the inlet (Cross River) from Elbow Lake on the west shore of Finger Lake. |
| earthen ramp | PRI | A 0.7 mile access road from USFS Rd. #347 to the Cross River. Carry-in access to Cross River downstream of Finger Lake. Then a trip of 0.4 mile on the Cross River upstream to Finger Lake. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 17.33 | 104 | 1.13 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 16.00 | 96 | 2.02 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 3.33 | 20 | 0.25 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 1.67 | 10 | 0.15 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 0.83 | 5 | 3.33 |
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.
A targeted survey of the Walleye population was completed in July 2025 using six gill net sets to evaluate fry stocking and monitor the fish community. The Walleye gill net catch was significantly higher than the previous survey completed in 2023. Fish ranged from 6 to 20 inches long with an average length of 14.4 inches and average weight of 1.1 pounds. Age analysis determined twelve unique year classes were sampled and 48% of the catch was from stocked years. These results are similar to previous surveys that have found about half the Walleye come from non-stocked years which suggests it is unlikely stocking is needed to maintain the fishery. A fair number of Black Crappie were also captured during the survey. The catch was above the normal range compared to similar lakes in the area and the highest to date from Finger Lake. Northern Pike and Yellow Perch were captured in low numbers while the White Sucker catch was high which were all similar to previous surveys of the lake.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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