Gogebic Lake

Cook County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 16008700

DNR records show 5 stocking entries at Gogebic Lake since 2016, most recently brook trout fingerlings in 2024 (3,500 fish).

• Gogebic Lake has 5 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2016-2024): brook trout (5).
• The most-stocked species by count is brook trout: 13,500 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 61 ft; surface area 62 acres, 1.5 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 13.6 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: brook trout, white sucker.
• 1 public access on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: June 13, 2022 (standard survey).
• Cook County, nearest town Grand Marais; DNR lake number (DOW) 16008700.

Stocking history

⁸ fish cooperatively purchased, raised, and/or stocked by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Public accesses

DNR fish survey, 2022

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.

Gogebic Lake is located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and can be accessed via a portage trail from West Pike Lake, or from the Border Route Trail which intersects the portage trail between Clearwater Lake and West Pike Lake. Because the Border Route Trail follows the western shoreline of the lake, there are a fair number of shore fishing opportunities compared to other remote BWCA lakes. Gogebic is a designated stream trout lake that has been regularly stocked with Brook Trout since 1957. Goals for the lake from the current (2009) lake management plan are to maintain a Brook Trout population with a minimum gill net catch of 4.0 fish/set, at least two catchable sized (over 10 inch) year classes, and the presence of some fish over 16 inches in length. This was the last of two surveys scheduled in the 2009 plan to evaluate a reduction in stocking frequency (to alternate years) that began after 2010. Although the 2009 plan increased the stocking quota to 3,500 Brook Trout fingerlings/stocking to accommodate for the reduced stocking frequency, hatchery shortages in 2018 and 2020 resulted in those quotas being reduced to 2,000 fingerlings. Despite these reductions, the 2022 Brook Trout gill net catch easily met the long-range goal and was the highest catch rate observed since 1991. Age-2 Brook Trout from the 2020 stocking comprised about 75% the catch, although good numbers of four-year-old fish were also sampled. Brook Trout sampled in this survey ranged from 13.5 to 19.0 inches. Therefore, the population goals for catchable year classes and the availability of quality sized fish were also met in 2022. Growth of Brook Trout appeared faster than average, with fish reaching a mean length of 12.6 inches by age-2, compared to an average of 9.0 inches from other stocked trout lakes in the area. White Sucker can compete with Brook Trout for invertebrate forage and are considered an undesirable fish species for stream trout lake management. White Sucker were first sampled in this lake in 1972 and have appeared very abundant at times, although a declining trend has surfaced since the 1990s. The 2022 gill net catch (1.0 fish/set) was the lowest observed since the species became established in the lake. Low White Sucker abundance may be reflected in the fast growth demonstrated by Brook Trout in this survey; however, the lake also appears to support an abundant minnow population would provide a quality forage base for Brook Trout.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, June 13, 2022.

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