Caribou Lake

How big is Caribou Lake?

How deep is Caribou Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Caribou Lake?

What are the closest cities to Caribou Lake?

Are there boat launches on Caribou Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Caribou Lake?

Caribou Lake is one of the more developed lakes in Cook County and regularly sees high fishing and recreational use throughout the open-water months. The lake is located near the Town of Lutsen and features a concrete boat ramp and dock at the public access. The lake has long been managed for Walleye and Northern Pike, although it also supports a Smallmouth Bass fishery.

Goals for the Walleye population were revised in the 2019 lake management plan (LMP) which included a reduction of the gill net catch goal to 5.25 fish/set, as the previous catch goal of 13.0 fish/set no longer seemed attainable based on survey and stocking results since 1980. While the abundance goal was substantially lower, consistently meeting the goal would still indicate the lake was supporting an above average Walleye population for this area. The 2019 LMP recommended that Walleye fingerling stocking be considered only if the Walleye gill net catch were to drop below 2.96 fish/set across multiple surveys. The Northern Pike population goals remained at a minimum gill net catch of 1.2 fish/set, with some fish over 25 inches present. This was the first of two standard lake surveys scheduled in the 2019 LMP to evaluate the fishery, the next is scheduled for 2027.

The 2022 Walleye gill net was up slightly from results observed in 2014 and 2017 and met the abundance goal set in the 2019 LMP. Walleye taken in gill nets in 2022 ranged in length from 7.4 to 22.8 inches but the mean length was about 12 inches. Seven naturally produced year classes contributed to the gill and trap net catch; however, a majority of Walleye captured in 2022 were from the 2020, 2019, and 2018 year classes. Walleye growth was considered average for this area; the mean length for age-4 fish was 13.3 inches, compared to an area mean of 12.7 inches for similar lakes.

The 2022 Northern Pike gill net catch was very similar to past results for the lake and was above the catch goal set for the population. The mean length of Northern Pike sampled was about 21 inches; however, several of the Northern Pike sampled in gill nets and trap nets were in the 24-25 inch length range, thus meeting the size goal set for the population.

Smallmouth Bass have been present in Caribou Lake since at least 1981. The species has been sampled in each survey since 1986; however, sample sizes have generally been small. Gill nets and trap nets are generally not considerable reliable sampling gears for tracking Smallmouth Bass abundance in this type of lake. Most past surveys have included bass up to 15 inches in length. In 2022, one larger (18.9 inch) Smallmouth Bass was sampled, suggesting the lake may have the potential to produce the occasional trophy sized fish.

Caribou Lake has historically supported a few Black Crappie and Bluegill, although catches have never been high in any survey. Results from 2022 followed suite, with a modest Black Crappie sample in 0.75-inch-mesh trap nets and fair numbers of small Bluegill in 0.25-inch-mesh trap nets. Neither species appeared abundant enough to support much of a fishery in 2022.

Yellow Perch are an important forage species for Walleye and Northern Pike in this lake. The 2022 gill net catch was above average for the lake class and the highest observed for Caribou Lake since 2005. The 2022 gill net catch also include a few larger fish (up to 10.9 inches), although most were six inches or less. The catch of YOY Yellow Perch in 0.25-inch-mesh trap nets (12.00 YOY/set) was considered below average for this type of lake but was comparable to the range of results obtained after Smallmouth Bass became established in the lake.

Additional species sampled in 2022 included White Sucker, Common Shiner, and Finescale Dace. The gill net catch of White Sucker remained steady near the historical average for this and other similar lakes. Common Shiners were first sampled in Caribou Lake in 2017 and appeared more abundant in the 2022 0.25-inch-mesh trap net catch. Finescale Dace had not been sampled prior to 2022 but are a native species to the area.

Rusty Crayfish, a regulated invasive species, were first documented in Caribou and Bigsby Lakes in 2020. By 2022 most of the gill net sets had high numbers of Rusty Crayfish entangled in them when pulled. Establishment of this population was likely the result of downstream movement from Pike Lake, where they were illegally introduced sometime prior to 1995.

Are there any state parks near Caribou Lake?