Kemo Lake

How big is Kemo Lake?

How deep is Kemo Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Kemo Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Kemo Lake?

Kemo Lake is a 189-acre lake located 16 miles north of Grand Marais. Public access is through a portage trail from Pine Lake. Kemo Lake was rehabilitated in 1964 and has been regularly stocked with lake trout from 1967 to 2018 and managed primarily for lake trout. The only other gamefish known to be present (at times) are splake, which can reach Kemo Lake from nearby Pine Lake, where they are regularly stocked. The 2023 standard survey was the first of two surveys conducted to evaluate the lake trout population.

Lake trout abundance was the lowest since 1997, and below the current management goal. However, this is above the mean for similar lakes in the area and introduced, naturally reproducing lake trout populations are quite rare as supplemental stocking efforts have usually been unsuccessful. Lake trout ranged from 7.9 to 21.3 inches with a mean length of 16.2 inches and 1.64 lbs/fish. Aging results indicate the presence of 11-year classes, with at least 6 of those being naturally reproduced. The oldest fish was 17 years old. Growth rates were similar to other area lakes but slowed considerably after reaching 18 inches. Slow growth or a lack of large sized lake trout is common in lakes that lack a cold-water forage species like cisco or rainbow smelt and lake trout consume mostly invertebrates. Lake trout still provide good angling opportunities in Kemo Lake.

Splake abundance was the highest ever been recorded in recent surveys. Splake ranged from 8.5 to 19.7 inches. Aging results showed fish from 3-year classes were present at ages 1, 2, and 5. Growth rates were similar to area lakes stocked with splake. Currently splake provide an additional angling opportunity with good sized fish.

White sucker relative abundance appeared to be slightly below historical catches with some larger fish present.

Cook County, Minnesota lakes continue to be susceptible to aquatic invasive species introductions. Invasive species have the potential to significantly alter fish communities and overall lake health. Anglers should clean watercraft and fishing gear, drain all water, and dispose of unused bait in the trash to prevent accidental introductions.

Are there any state parks near Kemo Lake?