Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest September 12, 2016
Little Gabbro Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Gabbro Lake average 3.50 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 3 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated September 12, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–20 inches. In Lake County, Minnesota, Little Gabbro Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Water clarity averages 6.5 feet of visibility, and the lake has public access. 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 Little Gabbro 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 Little Gabbro Lake
No stocking record for Little Gabbro 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.
Getting on the water
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Gabbro Lake average 3.50 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 3 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated September 12, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–20 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 Little Gabbro 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
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-09-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 5.58 | 0.35 lb |
| Walleye | 3.50 | 0.8 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.00 | 0.17 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.92 | 1.43 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.83 | 2.03 lb |
| Rock Bass | 1.17 | 0.45 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Walleye
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
From the 2016-09-12 survey
Little Gabbro Lake is located approximately 11 miles SE of Ely within the BWCAW. The primary access is a 200 rod portage from a parking area located off the Spruce Road. There are 3 designated campsites located on the lake and another one located in the narrows between Little Gabbro and Gabbro Lakes. Seven species of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Gabbro Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little GabbroFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little GabbroPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Little Gabbro Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Gabbro Lake average 3.50 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 3 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated September 12, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–20 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 Little Gabbro Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Little Gabbro Lake is dated September 12, 2016. 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 Little Gabbro Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Little Gabbro 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 Little Gabbro 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 Little Gabbro 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.
Where to stay near Little Gabbro Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Little Gabbro Lake
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