Tait Lake
Cook County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 16038400
Tait Lake has no DNR stocking rows in LakeFinder; this page carries its DNR depth, access and survey data.
- Tait Lake shows no stocking records in Minnesota DNR LakeFinder as of .
- Maximum depth 15 ft; surface area 355 acres, 355 littoral acres, 6.6 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 7.2 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: bluegill, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Cook County, nearest town Lutsen; DNR lake number (DOW) 16038400.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 1/1/1940 (topo map/drg); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | USF | USFS access on SW shore, off Forest Road 340. Parking for several vehicles. |
DNR fish survey, 2022
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow perch | 1/4-in trap nets | 1783.33 | 16,050 | 0.00 |
| Blacknose shiner | 1/4-in trap nets | 82.44 | 742 | 0.00 |
| Pumpkinseed | 1/4-in trap nets | 26.78 | 241 | 0.00 |
| Golden shiner | 1/4-in trap nets | 8.56 | 77 | 0.00 |
| Bluegill | 1/4-in trap nets | 4.22 | 38 | 0.00 |
| Walleye | 1/4-in trap nets | 1.33 | 12 | 1.36 |
| White sucker | 1/4-in trap nets | 0.11 | 1 | 2.93 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 6.00 | 54 | 0.92 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 5.44 | 49 | 0.99 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 5.11 | 46 | 0.13 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 18 | 2.01 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 0.33 | 3 | 0.13 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard gill nets | 0.33 | 3 | 0.03 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 3.33 | 30 | 0.05 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 2.89 | 26 | 1.52 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 0.78 | 7 | 0.11 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 0.67 | 6 | 0.06 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.56 | 5 | 2.29 |
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.
Tait Lake is located about twelve miles north of the Town of Lutsen and is accessible via a US Forest Service administered boat launch located on the west end of the lake. The lake has been part of the MNDNR Sentinel Lakes program since 2009, which resulted in high frequency lake surveys through 2017 to provide baseline monitoring data necessary for tracking potential changes in the fish community. The lake management plan for Tait Lake was revised in 2020 and reduced the survey frequency to five years. Walleye were retained as the primary management species for Tait Lake with a long-range goal of maintaining a population with a minimum gill net catch of 5.0 fish/set. Northern Pike remained the secondary management species, with a long-range goal of maintaining gill net catch of 2.0 fish/set and the presence of some fish over 25 inches. This was the first of two surveys scheduled in the 2020 LMP to determine if long-range goals identified for the Walleye and Northern Pike populations were being met and to monitor for potential changes in the fish community. Walleye were first introduced into Tait Lake in 1939 and were stocked a few additional times between 1948 and 1967. Walleye gill net catches in Tait Lake since 1970 have ranged from 17.7 to 4.1 fish/set, with catches on the lower end of that range occurring in the last three surveys of the lake. Walleye appeared moderately abundant in 2022 and the gill net catch surpassed the goal set for the population. The gill net sample included fish from 6.9 to 27.4 inches, although the mean length of Walleye captured in that gear was only 12.7 inches. The 2022 Walleye catch in 0.75-inch-mesh trap nets was above average compared to similar lakes in this area but was typical for results from Tait Lake. Walleye sampled in trap nets tended to be larger with a mean length of 15.6 inches. The total Walleye sample included fish from 12 naturally produced year classes (age-1 through age-13). Walleye natural recruitment appeared very consistent, with no missing year classes between ages one and eight, and moderately strong representation from the 2018-2021 year classes. Walleye growth was slightly faster than average. Walleye sampled in 2022 averaged 14.2 inches at the end of their fourth year, compared to an area mean of 13.3 inches at that age. Northern Pike gill net catches in Tait Lake have varied considerably over the years but have generally been low compared to similar lakes in the area. The 2022 Northern Pike gill net catch fell within the typical range observed for the lake and met the catch goal identified…
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.
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