Iron Lake
Cook County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 16032800
DNR records show 1 stocking entry at Iron Lake since 2016, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2016 (2,508 fish).
- Iron Lake has 1 DNR stocking record across 1 year (2016-2016): walleye (1).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 2,508 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 19 ft; surface area 122 acres, 73 littoral acres, 7.2 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 5.8 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: bluegill, green sunfish, northern pike, rock bass, splake, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 3 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Cook County, nearest town Grand Marais; DNR lake number (DOW) 16032800.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 1/1/1942 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 2,508 | 152.9 |
2 fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| O | Minnesota DNR | |
| CA | USF | |
| CA | USF |
DNR fish survey, 2023
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 3.50 | 21 | 1.51 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 2.67 | 16 | 1.56 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 0.33 | 2 | 1.10 |
| Splake | Standard gill nets | 0.17 | 1 | 1.75 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 0.17 | 1 | 0.07 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 3.00 | 27 | 0.08 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.67 | 6 | 1.07 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 3 | 0.09 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 3 | 0.14 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 3 | 1.54 |
| White sucker | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 0.95 |
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.
Iron Lake is a 122-acre lake located 38 miles northwest of Grand Marais off the Gunflint Trail. Public access is through a boat landing near the northwest bay of the lake. Iron Lake was historically managed for walleye. However, supplemental stocking efforts were deemed unsuccessful and stocking discontinued in 2016. Iron Lake is now managed for bluegill and northern pike. The 2023 standard survey was the first of two scheduled surveys to evaluate survival and growth of the bluegill, northern pike, and walleye populations. The bluegill catch was similar to the past few surveys and met the current management goal. It did fall slightly below average for similar lakes in the area. Size structure of bluegill was 3.4 to 10.7 inches with a mean length of about 4 inches. The majority of the fish collected were under 6 inches but a large 10.7 inch bluegill was found in the survey and was aged at 9 years old. Bluegill growth rates were above average compared to other Grand Marais area lakes with the potential to grow large. Northern pike abundance was slightly higher than the previous two surveys and met the current management goal. Catch rates are higher than similar area lakes. Northern pike ranged from 9.1 to 25.2 inches with a mean length 18.4 inches. Iron Lake supports a relatively abundant northern pike population and can provide anglers with good northern pike action. Walleye catch rates were very low and had been relatively low since the 1980s. Catch rates are below average for similar area lakes. The few walleye captured ranged from 13.3 to 19.8 inches with a mean of 12.5 inches. Aging results suggest that most of the fish had been naturally reproduced and grew at average rates compared to other area lakes. Walleye goals continue to be not met in Iron Lake and suggest that the walleye population may not reach desired levels. White sucker catches were similar to previous surveys. Other species collected in small numbers were yellow perch, rock bass, and one splake. Iron has never been stocked with splake and this fish likely swam over from Portage Lake as through a creek connection between the two waterbodies. Cook County, Minnesota lakes continue to be susceptible to aquatic invasive species introductions. Invasive species have the potential to significantly alter fish communities and overall lake health. Anglers should clean watercraft and fishing gear, drain all water, and dispose of unused bait in the trash to prevent accidental introductions.
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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