Aspen Lake

How big is Aspen Lake?

How deep is Aspen Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Aspen Lake?

Are there boat launches on Aspen Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Aspen Lake?

Aspen Lake is part of a cluster of small-to-medium sized, easily accessed lakes about 30 road miles from Grand Marais. It supports a simple fish community; among the major species present, only northern pike, yellow perch, and white sucker were native. Walleye were introduced in the 1930s, while smallmouth bass and black crappie were first taken in survey nets in 1977.

The latest (2014) lake management plan (LMP) for this lake established walleye and northern pike as primary and secondary management species, with black crappie providing a minor fishery. Management goals from the plan were to maintain a walleye population with a minimum gill net catch of 4.0 fish/net, with some fish over 20 inches, a self-sustained northern pike population with a minimum gill net catch of 1.2 fish/net, and a self-sustained black crappie population with a minimum catch of 0.70 fish/0.75-in trap net set, with those fish maintaining a mean weight of at least 0.75 lb/fish. This was to have been the second of three standard surveys scheduled to evaluate an increase in walleye stocking that began in 2015. The first, in 2016, could not be completed due to a lack of staff and funding.

Increased walleye fry stocking (from 90,000/stocking to 150,000/stocking) began in 2015, and any results of that increase would probably not have been fully realized by 2020. Nevertheless, early results were not promising. The walleye gill net catch in this survey was the lowest ever seen in Aspen Lake, falling well short of the catch goal for this lake. Six year classes contributed to the catch, including two (2018 and 2017) that had been naturally produced. Year classes produced in years when stocking had been done (2012, 2015, 2016, and 2019) accounted for 79% of the total walleye catch; however, it was likely that some of those fish had also been produced naturally. Growth of young walleye had been about average for this area. Fish reached a mean length of 12.9 inches at the end of their fourth year.

The 2020 northern pike gill net catch was also low for this lake historically (the second lowest seen in this lake), and was short of the 2014 goal. However, those results could have been misleading, since a fairly high number of northern pike were taken in trap nets in 2020. The trap net catch was the second highest ever seen in Aspen Lake. Northern pike were probably spending more time in the shallows at the time this survey was done, so were less likely to be taken in gill nets set off-shore, and more likely to turn up in shoreline trap nets. Although most of the northern pike caught were under 22 inches in length, there were a few over 24 inches to provide some higher-quality catches.

Black crappie have been rare in the Grand Marais area, and although they have been consistently sampled in Aspen Lake, their numbers have never been high. Results of the 2020 survey were typical for this lake. A few crappie were taken in trap net sets, and although the trap net catch fell below the 2014 catch goal, the size goal in that plan was met. Black crappie as large as 13 inches were taken in trap nets.

Smallmouth bass support a secondary fishery in Aspen Lake, and have been targeted by a few anglers there. Fishing for bass can be quite good for those targeting the species. Gill and trap net catches are not good indicators of smallmouth bass abundance, and often provide contradictory information on sizes available. Smallmouth bass taken in both gears in 2020 ranged in length from 6.4 to 18.7 inches.

Yellow perch have been the primary forage species supporting walleye and northern pike in this lake. The 2020 gill net catch was fairly low for a lake of this type, but was typical of lower catches seen in this lake since 1983. Yellow perch would have provided some angling opportunity in 2020; fish taken in gill nets and trap nets ranged in length from 5.4 to 11.5 inches.

Are there any state parks near Aspen Lake?