Mayhew Lake (Cook County)
Cook County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 16033700
DNR records show 7 stocking entries at Mayhew Lake (Cook County) since 2016, most recently rainbow trout yearlings in 2025 (3,200 fish).
- Mayhew Lake (Cook County) has 7 DNR stocking records across 6 years (2016-2025): rainbow trout (4), brown trout (2), lake trout (1).
- The most-stocked species by count is rainbow trout: 12,800 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 84 ft, mean depth 32 ft; surface area 221 acres, 34 littoral acres, 5.0 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 19.5 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake trout, northern pike, rainbow trout, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Cook County, nearest town Grand Marais; DNR lake number (DOW) 16033700.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 3,200 | 1,142.9 |
| 2023 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 3,200 | 1,103.5 |
| 2021 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 3,200 | 1,113.3 |
| 2019 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 3,200 | 1,066.7 |
| 2018 | Brown Trout | yearlings | 3,200 | 752.9 |
| 2018 | Lake Trout | yearlings | 3,189 | 306.6 |
| 2016 | Brown Trout | yearlings | 3,200 | 711.1 |
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 | Short carry-in or rough launch for small boat off Forest Road 317. |
DNR fish survey, 2023
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow perch | 1/4-in trap nets | 126.83 | 761 | 0.00 |
| Hybrid sunfish | 1/4-in trap nets | 0.33 | 2 | 0.08 |
| Green sunfish | 1/4-in trap nets | 0.33 | 2 | 0.03 |
| White sucker | Shallow gill nets | 8.00 | 16 | 1.46 |
| Yellow perch | Shallow gill nets | 3.00 | 6 | 0.10 |
| Lake trout | Shallow gill nets | 2.00 | 4 | 1.60 |
| Green sunfish | Shallow gill nets | 1.50 | 3 | 0.05 |
| Rainbow trout | Shallow gill nets | 1.00 | 2 | 0.81 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 2.00 | 12 | 0.10 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.50 | 3 | 2.77 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 0.33 | 2 | 0.02 |
| Green sunfish | Standard trap nets | 0.17 | 1 | 0.04 |
| Lake trout | Deep gill nets | 1.25 | 5 | 2.15 |
| White sucker | Deep gill nets | 0.25 | 1 | 2.99 |
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.
Mayhew Lake is a 220-acre lake located 35 miles north of Grand Marais. It lies in the headwaters of the Rainy River, draining to that system via Loon, Crab, and Gunflint Lakes into the Granite River. There is a public carry-in access on the southeast corner of the lake. Mayhew Lake has been managed primarily for lake trout since the 1940s. It was reclaimed for trout management in 1969. Due to adequate natural reproduction and low survival of stocked fish lake trout stocking was discontinued after 2018. To provide for a more attractive summer fishery, brown trout stocking was replaced with rainbow trout stocking in 2019. The 2023 standard survey was the second of three conducted to evaluate the lake trout and rainbow trout populations in Mayhew Lake. Lake trout abundance in gill nets (deep and shallow sets combined) was the lowest since 1980 but did meet the current management goal. Catch rates are similar to other Minnesota class 3 lakes. Lake trout ranged from 8 to 26 inches with an average length of 16 inches. Lake trout were found to be from 6 different year classes and were all naturally reproduced. Growth of lake trout appear to be good, reaching larger sizes slightly faster than area averages. Rainbow trout catch rates were lower than the previous two surveys and did not meet the management goal. Only two fish were caught (12 and 13 inches) and were from the stocking event earlier in the season. Low sample sizes of rainbow trout caught in summer gill netting surveys since stocking began suggests that other methods may be needed to properly evaluate stocking success. Northern pike numbers were very low in 2023 and were similar to the previous survey. Northern pike are an undesirable species in this lake so low catch rates are good for the management of rainbow trout. Bluegill and green sunfish abundance was low in the 2023 survey and had been declining since the late 1990s. Fish captured were smaller than 4 inches and currently do not offer any angling opportunities. Yellow perch and white sucker are considered undesirable species in lakes managed for stream trout and were found in relatively low abundances. Both species compete with trout for invertebrate and other small forage; however, in several area lakes stocked rainbow trout yearlings have performed fairly well despite their presence. Perch may provide a buffer against predation from northern pike on trout in Mayhew Lake.
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. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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