Snowbank Lake
Lake County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 38052900
DNR records show 1 stocking entry at Snowbank Lake since 2025, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (879,000 fish).
- Snowbank Lake has 1 DNR stocking record across 1 year (2025-2025): walleye (1).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 879,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 150 ft; surface area 4,655 acres, 879 littoral acres, 43.1 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 17.2 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: burbot, cisco species, lake trout, northern pike, northern pike (silver phase), rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 8 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Lake County, nearest town Ely; DNR lake number (DOW) 38052900.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 9/2/1949 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 879,000 | 9.7 |
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 | Southcentral portion of lake, at end of Snowbank Lk. road. - Parking for approx. 8 vehicles with trailers. Outhouse available. |
| PO | USF | Southeast portion of lake, 428yd. portage from Parent Lk. |
| PO | USF | East shore, 775yd. portage from Disappointment Lk. |
| PO | USF | Northeast portion of lake, 367yd. double portage from Boot Lk. - Portage invloves two parts; 158yds. to a small beaver pond, paddle across pond, then 209yds. to Snowbank Lk. |
| PO | USF | West shore, 774yd. portage from Flash Lk. |
| CA | USF | Southcentral portion of lake, Canoe Landing adjacent to AC1 at end of Snowbank Lk. road. - Parking for approx. 30 vehicles without trailers. This is the designated canoe landing, there is a dock but no ramp. |
| PO | USF | North shore, Bass Bay, 141yd. portage from Grub Lk. |
| gravel ramp | USF | Southwest portion of lake, end of road past RE1. - Parking for approx. 7 vehicles with trailers. |
DNR fish survey, 2024
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Snowbank Lake on July 29th, 2024, 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 (Cisco, also known as 'Tullibee', are also present). During the summer, 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 the profile from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth 105.0 feet), the water temperature decreased below 8.8 degrees C (47.8 degrees F) at 62.3 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 95.1 feet at the time of sampling. The thickness of this layer of water in the water column was 32.8 feet, indicating that oxythermal habitat was present for Lake Trout. Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 7.3 degrees C (45.1 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 late summer period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 2010 and 2017 indicated coldwater habitat conditions were suitable in 2017 and unsuitable in 2010, with the least favorable conditions recorded in 2010. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is 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; contours are the DNR bathymetric survey. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
Hear when the states we cover post stockings
One email a week in season: which waters in the states we cover were stocked, straight from the state agencies' own postings. No spam, no fishing-gear ads in the mail.
Free · double opt-in · unsubscribe anytime · we store only your email.