Saganaga Lake
Cook County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 16063300
DNR records show 5 stocking entries at Saganaga Lake since 2017, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (4,500,000 fish).
- Saganaga Lake has 5 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2017-2025): walleye (5).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 22,950,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 280 ft; surface area 18,767 acres, 277.0 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 12.8 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, burbot, cisco species, lake trout, lake whitefish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rainbow smelt, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 3 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Cook County, nearest town Grand Marais; DNR lake number (DOW) 16063300.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 4,500,000 | 49.9 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 4,500,000 | 46.9 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 4,500,000 | 46.9 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 4,500,000 | 51.5 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 4,950,000 | 46.7 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | USF | |
| concrete ramp | county | |
| C | USF |
DNR fish survey, 2025
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Saganaga Lake on August 7th, 2025. This was done to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Trout, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake (Lake Whitefish and Cisco, also known as 'Tullibee', are also present). Lake Trout require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 8.8 degrees C (47.8 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on data collected from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth was 89.9 feet), the water temperature decreased to 8.8 degrees C (47.8 degrees F) at 41.0 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 85.7 feet at the time of sampling. This layer in the water column was 44.7 feet, indicating oxythermal habitat for Lake Trout was present. Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 6.1 degrees C (43.0 degrees F). TDO3 values cooler than 8.8 degrees C (47.8 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were suitable for Lake Trout at the time of the survey. Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 10 years, between 1985-2024, indicated unsuitable oxythermal habitat in most years surveyed, with unfavorable conditions recored in 1992, 2008 when there was no suitable oxythermal habitat layer. When adequate oxythermal habitat is not available, Lake Trout are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.
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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