Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 24, 2013
Clark Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Clark Lake average 11.67 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 24, 2013. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–36 inches. In St. Louis County, Minnesota, Clark Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). The survey figures on this page are Minnesota DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Species recorded at Clark Lake
7 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Clark Lake
No stocking record for Clark Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Clark Lake average 11.67 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 24, 2013. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–36 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Clark Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2013-06-24 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 11.67 | 3.37 lb |
| Bluegill | 9.33 | 0.04 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.33 | 2.1 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 2.33 | 0.6 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 0.33 | 0.11 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 0.33 | 0.06 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Northern Pike
Bluegill
White Sucker
Largemouth Bass
From the 2013-06-24 survey
Clark Lake is located approximately 12 miles NW of Ely and is entirely within the BWCAW. It has a surface area of 66 acres and a maximum depth of 41 feet. It has the best water clarity of the nearby lakes with a secchi disc reading of 12 feet. Most of the shoreline is slightly steep with pine covered hills and coarse…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Clark Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClarkFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Clark Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Clark Lake average 11.67 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 24, 2013. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–36 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 7 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Clark Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Clark Lake is dated June 24, 2013. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Clark Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Clark Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Clark Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Clark Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
A water-quality grade is not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class — a lake can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
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