Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest May 10, 2023
Found Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Found Lake average 9.45 brook trout per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated May 10, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–19 inches. In Lake County, Minnesota, Found Lake has no letter grade — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Water clarity averages 10.8 feet of visibility. 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 Found Lake
1 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 Found Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Found Lake average 9.45 brook trout per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated May 10, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–19 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 Found Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-10 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Brook Trout | 9.45 | 1.68 lb |
| Rainbow Trout | 1.50 | 1 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.00 | 4.45 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.
Brook Trout
White Sucker
From the 2023-05-10 survey
Found Lake is 18 miles northeast of Ely in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The lake can be accessed by a 30-rod portage from Newfound Lake. There is one campsite on the lake, and summer visitors are reminded to obtain the proper day use or overnight permits from the US Forest Service in advance. Self-issued…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Found Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FoundFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FoundFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Found Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Found Lake average 9.45 brook trout per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated May 10, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–19 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 1 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 Found Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Found Lake is dated May 10, 2023. 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 Found Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Found Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Found 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 Found Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. 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.
Where to stay near Found Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Found Lake
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