Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 16, 2014
Splash Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Splash Lake average 11.75 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 16, 2014. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–37 inches. In Lake County, Minnesota, Splash 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 8.5 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 Splash Lake
8 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 Splash Lake
No stocking record for Splash 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 Splash Lake average 11.75 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 16, 2014. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–37 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 Splash Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. 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: 2014-06-16 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 11.75 | 2.49 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 8.25 | 0.95 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.00 | 0.12 lb |
| White Sucker | 6.00 | 2.7 lb |
| Walleye | 2.75 | 1.06 lb |
| Bluegill | 1.25 | 0.15 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
Tullibee (Cisco)
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
From the 2014-06-16 survey
Splash Lake is located approximately 19 miles northeast of Ely in the BWCAW. This lake is on a popular canoe route for visitors travelling off the Moose Lake chain of lakes. A historic winter travel route also crosses Splash Lake accessing areas to the east. There is one designated USFS campsite located on the lake.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Splash Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SplashFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Splash Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Splash Lake average 11.75 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 16, 2014. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–37 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 8 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 Splash Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Splash Lake is dated June 16, 2014. 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 Splash Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Splash 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 Splash 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 Splash Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 5 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 Splash Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Splash Lake
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