Muckwa Lake (Cook County)

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

Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 16010500

DNR records show 5 stocking entries at Muckwa Lake (Cook County) since 2017, most recently rainbow trout fingerlings in 2025 (4,000 fish).

• Muckwa Lake (Cook County) has 5 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2017-2025): rainbow trout (5).
• The most-stocked species by count is rainbow trout: 20,000 fish on record.
• Maximum depth 25 ft; surface area 49 acres, 29 littoral acres, 1.4 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
• Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 6.8 ft.
• Fish species DNR lists here: rainbow trout.
• 1 public access on the DNR list.
• Most recent DNR fish survey: July 19, 2017 (standard survey).
• Cook County, nearest town Grand Marais; DNR lake number (DOW) 16010500.

Stocking history

Public accesses

DNR fish survey, 2017

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.

Muckwa Lake has been managed as a stream trout lake since 1972, and has been regularly stocked with Rainbow Trout since that time. This survey was the first of two scheduled in the latest (2009) lake management plan to evaluate a reduction in stocking frequency (from annual to alternate years) that began in 2011. Because of the low number of gill net sets used in surveys of these very small stream trout lakes, multiple surveys must be completed before results of management changes can be assessed with any confidence. Only three Rainbow Trout were collected in 2017, a relatively low catch for this lake historically. Fish from stocked 2013 and 2011 year classes contributed to the catch, and survival of some fish to six years of age boded well for the lake's continued ability to produce some trophy-sized Rainbow Trout. Survival of the 2015 stocking may have been unusually low. In a typical survey of a stream lake with a similar stocking history in this area, two-year-old fish would be vulnerable to our sampling gear, and would usually make up the bulk of the catch; however, no fish of that age were collected in this survey. There had been no change in stocking method or the strain stocked in 2015. Fingerlings stocked in 2015 were larger than those stocked in 2013 and 2011, but were still well within the acceptable size range for aerial stocking. With the low number of net sets used, it is possible that young fish were present, but were simply not caught. No undesirable fish species were collected in Muckwa Lake in 2017. Minnows appeared to have been abundant. Temperature-oxygen conditions measured on 19 July were suitable for Rainbow Trout from the surface to a depth of at least 15 feet.

Minnesota DNR survey narrative, July 19, 2017.

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