Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 18, 2008
Spring Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Spring Lake average 3.10 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 18, 2008. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–26 inches. In St. Louis County, Minnesota, Spring 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 9.5 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. 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 Spring 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 Spring Lake
No stocking record for Spring 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
1 public boat landing is recorded on Spring Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Spring Lake average 3.10 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 18, 2008. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–26 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 Spring Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2008-08-18 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 86.26 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.56 | 0.16 lb |
| White Sucker | 6.27 | 2.31 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.89 | 0.12 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.10 | 1.78 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
Pumpkinseed
From the 2008-08-18 survey
Spring is a 97-acre lake with 93 acres (96%) of littoral area and a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake is located 15 miles northeast of Duluth off highway #44 and has a concrete, back-in access. Parking at the access is very limited. Walleye fingerlings, yearlings or adults have been stocked in odd years since 1999.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Spring Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SpringFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Spring (0492)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SpringPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Spring Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Spring Lake average 3.10 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 18, 2008. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–26 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 Spring Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Spring Lake is dated August 18, 2008. 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 Spring Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Spring 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 Spring 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 Spring Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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 Spring Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Spring Lake
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