Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 20, 2023
South Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at South Lake average 4.63 lake trout per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–31 inches. In Cook County, Minnesota, South 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 26.0 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 South Lake
6 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 South Lake
No stocking record for South 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 South Lake average 4.63 lake trout per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–31 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 South Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-20 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 10.09 | 2.16 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 5.56 | 0.19 lb |
| Lake Trout | 4.63 | 3.52 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 2.83 | 1.14 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 0.83 | 0.07 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.
White Sucker
Tullibee (Cisco)
Lake Trout
Smallmouth Bass
From the 2023-06-20 survey
South Lake lies on the Minnesota-Ontario border. The Minnesota side is entirely inside the BWCAW and has been non-motorized since 1978. There are no restrictions on motorized use on the Ontario side of the lake. Access is provided by portage trails from North, Topper, and Rose (via Rat) Lakes. Public access is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for South Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SouthFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in South Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at South Lake average 4.63 lake trout per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–31 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 6 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 South Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for South Lake is dated June 20, 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 South Lake stocked?
No stocking record for South 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 South 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 South Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. 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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