Scarp Lake
Lake County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 38005800
DNR records show 9 stocking entries at Scarp Lake since 2016, most recently rainbow trout yearlings in 2025 (1,000 fish).
- Scarp Lake has 9 DNR stocking records across 9 years (2016-2025): rainbow trout (9).
- The most-stocked species by count is rainbow trout: 9,200 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 15 ft, mean depth 9 ft; surface area 39 acres, 39 littoral acres, 1.7 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 5.7 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: rainbow trout, yellow perch.
- 3 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Lake County, nearest town Isabella; DNR lake number (DOW) 38005800.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 1,000 | 357.1 |
| 2024 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 1,000 | 333.3 |
| 2023 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 1,000 | 333.3 |
| 2022 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 1,000 | 333.3 |
| 2021 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 1,000 | 344.8 |
| 2019 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 1,050 | 350.0 |
| 2018 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 1,050 | 388.9 |
| 2017 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 1,050 | 350.0 |
| 2016 | Rainbow Trout | yearlings | 1,050 | 345.4 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| PO | USF | Portage trail from Hogback lake to the westernmost portion of the NW bay. - A 100 yard long portage trail from Hogback lake to the westernmost portion of the NW bay. |
| CA | USF | Trail intersection on ridge between Hogback and Scarp Lakes. Trail leads east to the portage between Scarp/Hogback Lakes and west along the north shore of Scarp Lake. |
| O | USF | Bench and trail at outlet to Mound lake. - A hiking trail traveses the shoreline of the lake and allows for access a few locations. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 151.50 | 303 | 0.14 |
| Rainbow trout | Standard gill nets | 3.50 | 7 | 0.60 |
| Rainbow trout | Open-water angling | 4.00 | 4 | 0.58 |
| Yellow perch | Open-water angling | 2.00 | 2 | 0.00 |
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.
Scarp Lake is a designated trout lake stocked with catchable sized yearling Rainbow Trout each spring located ten miles east of Isabella and within the Superior National Forest. Anglers fishing from watercraft typically access the lake via a 20-rod portage trail from Hogback Lake. Shore anglers can use the hiking trails maintained by the US Forest Service that surround the lake to access shore fishing spots that include two remote campsites. The 2025 fisheries survey captured 11 Rainbow Trout combined from standard gill nets and forty-five minutes of open water angling effort. All but one of the trout had been stocked in the spring while the remaining fish survived one winter in the lake. These results indicate the lake currently maintains opportunities for trout throughout summer and winter seasons. Unfortunately, high numbers of Yellow Perch were also captured. The area office had received reports of anglers catching perch in the lake beginning in January 2023, but this was the first DNR fisheries survey to document the species in the lake. It is likely that localized extreme weather events created unique hydrologic conditions that allowed perch to migrate from adjacent Hogback Lake. Perch have been shown to negatively impact angler satisfaction on stocked trout lakes. The lake will continue to be monitored to determine if management actions are needed, but survey results indicate trout opportunities are currently being maintained throughout the angling seasons.
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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