Ojibway Lake

How big is Ojibway Lake?

How deep is Ojibway Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Ojibway Lake?

Are there boat launches on Ojibway Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Ojibway Lake?

Ojibway Lake is located approximately 14 miles east of Ely and is accessible by a concrete ramp off the Fernberg Road. It is 367 acres with a maximum depth of 115 feet and clear water (the small bay on the east end of the lake connected by a shallow channel has much darker brown colored water). Three dissolved oxygen profiles (western, middle, and eastern basins) were taken on Ojibway Lake on August 11, 2015. All three basins showed thermal stratification with surface temperatures near 70 F and bottom temps all around 40 F. On the western basin oxygen and water temperature suitable for lake trout occurred between 23 and 52 feet. The middle basin ideal range for lake trout was 23 to 48 feet. The eastern basin is not capable of supporting lake trout in the summer but oxygen levels capable of supporting most other gamefish was adequate to a depth of 23 feet. Ojibway is a popular lake for recreation. Its shorelines and islands are rimmed with tall white, red, and jack pine as well as stands of spruce and cedar. There are some cabins and homes on the western basin and north shore of the middle basin, but the southern shore and much of the eastern side of the lake is US Forest Service land. A few camp sites and an access on the south shore to Triangle Lake can provide a boundary waters feel without the need for a permit or other restrictions. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline are mostly boulder, rubble, gravel, and ledgerock. Aquatic plants are mostly absent except for some shallow bays. Ojibway has a long history of stocking dating back to 1915. Several different species were introduced, but since 1992 stocking has been limited to lake trout yearlings every even year. Due to poor growth and survival of stocked fish, stocking was discontinued after 2010. This population assessment consisted of three different net types: shallow water gillnet sets, deep water gillnet sets, and trapnet sets. Lake trout numbers in Ojibway Lake have generally been low, but the 2015 lake trout catch of 0.1/deep gill net is the lowest catch rate since 1977. The only trout caught was 10 inches, weighed 0.3 pounds, was three years old, and was not stocked. Three walleye were sampled in all the gill nets, although catch rates for walleye have always been extremely low. Lengths were 16, 18, and 24 inches. These fish were 2, 3, and 9 years old and showed good growth. Walleye have not been stocked in Ojibway Lake since 1946 so it is possible these fish moved down the outlet from Triangle Lake or there may be a small population in Ojibway that is spawning. The northern pike population seems to be doing well in Ojibway Lake. The shallow water gillnet catch was the highest on record for the lake at nearly 3 fish/net. The average sized pike was 26 inches and over 4 pounds, but fish up to 38 inches were also sampled. A total of 15 smallmouth bass were sampled in shallow water gill nets and trap nets. The average weight was over a pound. Although most of the fish were fairly small, bass up to 18 inches were captured. Fish tended to grow slow compared to other area lakes. Ages ranged from 3 to 8 years. Six largemouth bass were sampled in shallow water gill nets and trap nets. Most were small with lengths ranging from 6 to 14 inches. Growth of largemouth was also fairly slow. Ages ranged from 2 to 5 years. Bluegill numbers seem to be on the rise in Ojibway Lake. This assessment was the highest trap net catch recorded for the lake at nearly 23 fish/net. This catch rate was very good when compared to other similar lakes. Fish tended to be small though with a size range from 4 to 8 inches and an average of 5 inches. Yellow perch numbers are similar to previous catches. The shallow gillnet catch was just over 3 fish/net. Fish were small with sizes ranging from 6 to 7 inches. These were the smallest perch sampled from Ojibway Lake. Cisco numbers in 2015 are similar to previous catches. The deep gillnet catch was just over 13 fish/net. Lengths ranged from 7 to 13 inches with an average of 9 inches. Additional fish species sampled but in small numbers include: black crappie, green sunfish, rock bass, and white sucker. Triangle Lake flows into Ojibway Lake through a small outlet on Ojibway's south shore. Triangle has had a population of rusty crayfish since 1986. These crayfish are a non-native invasive species. They had not been observed in Ojibway Lake until this survey. A total of 22 rusty crayfish were captured from shallow gill nets and trap nets in 2015, no native crayfish were observed.

What is the average air temp for Ojibway Lake?