Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 11, 2025
Little Gunflint Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Gunflint Lake average 3.96 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 11, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–27 inches. In Cook County, Minnesota, Little Gunflint Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Water clarity averages 16.2 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 Gunflint Lake
12 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 Gunflint 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.
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 Gunflint Lake average 3.96 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 11, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–27 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 Gunflint 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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-11 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Bass | 4.78 | 0.32 lb |
| Walleye | 3.96 | 1.4 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 3.42 | 0.22 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.03 | 2.29 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.
Rock Bass
Walleye
Tullibee (Cisco)
White Sucker
From the 2025-08-11 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Gunflint Lake on August 11th, 2025. This was done 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,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Gunflint Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GunflintFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Gunflint (1800)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — GunflintFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GunflintPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Little Gunflint Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Gunflint Lake average 3.96 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 13 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated August 11, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–27 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 12 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 Gunflint Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Little Gunflint Lake is dated August 11, 2025. 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 Gunflint Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Little Gunflint 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 Little Gunflint 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 Gunflint 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 Gunflint Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Little Gunflint Lake
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