Hanson Lake (St. Louis County)
St. Louis County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 69018900
DNR records show 10 stocking entries at Hanson Lake (St. Louis County) since 2016, most recently rainbow trout yearlings in 2025 (500 fish).
- Hanson Lake (St. Louis County) has 10 DNR stocking records across 10 years (2016-2025): splake (9), rainbow trout (1).
- The most-stocked species by count is splake: 10,205 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 65 ft; surface area 19 acres, 6 littoral acres, 0.8 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 15.0 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: rainbow smelt, splake.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- St. Louis County, nearest town Ely; DNR lake number (DOW) 69018900.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 500 | 178.6 |
| 2024 | Splake | fingerlings | 1,110 | 34.9 |
| 2023 | Splake | fingerlings | 1,675 | 47.3 |
| 2022 | Splake | fingerlings | 1,200 | 32.8 |
| 2021 | Splake | fingerlings | 1,070 | 27.5 |
| 2020 | Splake | fingerlings | 1,000 | 28.7 |
| 2019 | Splake | fingerlings | 1,150 | 40.9 |
| 2018 | Splake | fingerlings | 1,000 | 40.8 |
| 2017 | Splake | fingerlings | 1,000 | 49.0 |
| 2016 | Splake | fingerlings | 1,000 | 25.0 |
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| CA | Minnesota DNR | 100 yard portage from parking area off USFS Rd 450, 1.9 miles off Echo Trail. |
| CA | Minnesota DNR | 3/8 mile portage from Burntside Lake. Portage is not marked or maintained. |
DNR fish survey, 2024
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RBS | Small-mesh gill nets | 30.00 | 30 | 0.05 |
| Splake | Small-mesh gill nets | 2.00 | 2 | 0.06 |
| Splake | Standard gill nets | 9.00 | 9 | 0.84 |
| RBS | Standard gill nets | 1.00 | 1 | 0.03 |
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.
Hanson Lake is a 19-acre designated stream trout lake located entirely within the Superior National Forest. Access is by a short but steep portage from a parking area on Hanson Lake Road. The lake is clear, has a maximum depth of 65 feet, and has steep sandy shorelines. The surrounding forest is a mature stand of red pines on rolling slopes. A user maintained campsite exists off the access trail and several spots suitable for shore fishing fringe the lake. Splake yield (7.6 lb/net) was above average. Lengths ranged from ten to 18 inches, averaging nearly 13.5 inches. This was greater than the long-term average for Hanson. Splake stomach contents were a mix of invertebrates and fish, including smelt. Rainbow smelt numbers (30.0/net) were below average and continued a generally declining trend. Lengths ranged from five to seven inches with a mean of about 6.5 inches.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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