Little Wilson Lake

How big is Little Wilson Lake?

How deep is Little Wilson Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Little Wilson Lake?

Are there boat launches on Little Wilson Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Little Wilson Lake?

Little Wilson, located approximately 10 miles northeast of Tofte, MN in Lake County, is a 54 acre lake with a maximum depth of 22.0 feet. The lake is located off of Wilson Lake Road and has a gravel back-down access suitable for small boats and canoes; parking is available for about four vehicles. Near the access, the lake bottom is covered by boulders, some of which could present a hazard to boat motors.

Little Wilson is surrounded by federal public lands and the undeveloped shoreline is comprised of mixed evergreen and deciduous forest. A US Forest Service campground nearby at Wilson Lake provides primitive facilities. Little Wilson is a clear-water lake, with a Secchi disc visible to 8 feet. This clear water makes angling a challenge during the day; anglers may be more successful by fishing the lake during twilight or at night.

The game fish population of Little Wilson includes walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch. White suckers and several minnow species are also present. The majority of the lake substrate is sand, gravel and boulders; aquatic vegetation is fairly rare throughout the lake. The low productivity of the water, coupled with a lack of soft substrates, probably limit the amount of aquatic vegetation in the lake.

Little Wilson is has a decent walleye population with a high abundance of 15 inch fish. The largest walleye sampled in the 2012 assessment was 22.4 inches (3.4 pounds). A high portion (nearly 60%) of walleye sampled were from the stocked 2009 year class, and above average growth of these fish suggests they may provide good fishing for the next few years. Naturally reproduced year classes of walleye are infrequent; therefore fry are stocked into the lake two consecutive years of every four. The most recent stocking took place in 2012.

Northern pike abundance in Little Wilson is low; the past two assessments have caught very few pike. In 2012, the largest northern pike sampled was 23 inches (3 pounds); the average size was 14 inches (1 pound). Northern pike spawn over submerged vegetation in boggy or marshy areas of lakes. However, Little Wilson has very little habitat of that type, and this lack of suitable spawning habitat may be the reason northern pike numbers are so low.

Although their populations do not attract much fishing pressure, yellow perch and white sucker abundances are high in Little Wilson. Small yellow perch are fairly abundant in the lake, their average size is 6 inches (0.1 pounds) and no fish over 8 inches were sampled in 2012. Even though these small yellow perch are probably not attractive anglers they provide a good prey base for the walleye. White suckers are very abundant in the lake and can reach up to 20 inches (3 pounds). Past efforts to reduce white sucker abundance in the 1980's and earlier were unsuccessful, possibly due to the large amount of near-shore, rocky habitat that white suckers thrive in.

In general, the clear water, quiet isolation, and the abundance of 15 inch walleye in Little Wilson make the lake a good destination for recreational users, especially as a side-stop for those visiting Wilson Lake.

What is the average air temp for Little Wilson Lake?

Are there any state parks near Little Wilson Lake?