Muckwa Lake (St. Louis County)
St. Louis County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 69015900
DNR records show 3 stocking entries at Muckwa Lake (St. Louis County) since 2018, most recently walleye fry in 2023 (150,000 fish).
- Muckwa Lake (St. Louis County) has 3 DNR stocking records across 3 years (2018-2023): walleye (3).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 450,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 8 ft; surface area 147 acres, 147 littoral acres, 3.3 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 6.7 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- St. Louis County, nearest town Ely; DNR lake number (DOW) 69015900.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 150,000 | 1.4 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 150,000 | 1.6 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 150,000 | 1.7 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| gravel ramp | Minnesota DNR | 4.7mi. in on Bear Island Cabin Rd. - Last quarter mile of access road is very rocky & fairly steep, NOT boat trailer friendly. Suggested watercraft would be cartop boat or canoe. Parking for 3-4 vehicles without trailers. You can drive to the lake but the actual landing is "carry down". |
| CA | USF | - Old portage from N shore of Bear Island Lake across USFS and private land; approximately 1 mile. |
DNR fish survey, 2023
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 21.00 | 42 | 0.24 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 11.50 | 23 | 1.47 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 4 | 2.24 |
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 is a 146-acre lake located six miles northwest of Babbitt. Like similar Tower Area walleye lakes Agassa and Nina Moose, Muckwa is shallow, bog-stained, and has moderate water clarity. Muckwa is five miles down the minimum maintenance Bear Island Cabin Road, and the access is carry-down only. A high clearance vehicle with four-wheel drive is suggested, but a lighter vehicle would be sufficient until the last 1/4 mile to the lake. Boat trailers are not recommended. Recent logging activity at the turn to the lake had somewhat obscured the access trail. Camping is not allowed at the parking area, but there are some boat-accessible user-maintained sites on the lake. Its backcountry location, minimal development, and reputation as a walleye fishery make it a destination fishing trip. The 2023 survey catch was dominated by walleye and yellow perch. Low numbers of white sucker are also present in this simple fish community. This survey was targeted to evaluate walleye stocking so only gill nets were used. Walleye numbers, at 11.5/gill net, were lower than recent surveys of Muckwa, but above average for the Tower Area. Lengths ranged from 13 to nearly 22 inches with an average of 16 inches. Walleye growth was average with four-year-old fish measuring 14 inches. Muckwa is stocked with walleye fry but is primarily a self-sustaining population. Over 90% of the walleye captured were not from stocked years and several year classes were present. The 2020 year class represented 41% of the walleye captured, and walleye fry were not stocked in that year. Yellow perch numbers, at 21/gill net, were also lower than recent surveys of Muckwa, but above average for the Tower Area. Lengths ranged from 5 to 10.5 inches with a mean length just short of 8 inches. Anglers targeting perch may find numbers of eater fish, and Muckwa has historically produced quality-sized perch.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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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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