Star Lake

How big is Star Lake?

How deep is Star Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Star Lake?

Are there boat launches on Star Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Star Lake?

Star lake is a 107-acre lake located 24 miles north of Lutsen. Public access is through a carry-in access located on the southwestern bay of the lake. Star Lake has been stocked with walleye fry regularly since 1985.

Walleye abundance remains good in Star Lake and met the walleye management goal. Catch rates were down from the last survey in 2019 but still above average for the lake. Walleye were generally small and ranged from 7.8 to 16.5 inches with a mean length of 10.7 inches. Aging results found 3 year classes present (2021, 2020, and 2016) and were largely comprised of fish from years when fry were stocked. A lack of young of year (YOY) walleye in the mini fyke nets indicate poor natural recruitment in 2023. Growth rates were slightly below average. Results from this survey and 2019 data suggest that walleye fry stocking may be accounting for a majority of walleye present in Star Lake. Anglers should be able to find decent numbers of smaller sized walleye.

The northern pike catch was the lowest recorded for Star Lake and below average for similar area lakes. This is a surprising as northern pike abundance in Star Lake had been above average in all previous years. Continued monitoring is needed to understand if this population is actually this low, or if other factors including harvest contributed to low catch rates.

Yellow perch abundance was the highest ever recorded for Star Lake. This is above the 75% percentile for similar area lakes. Also high catch rates of young of year (YOY) perch were found in mini fyke net sets suggesting natural reproduction is quite strong. Yellow perch ranged from 2.2 to 11.6 inches with a mean length of 8.6 inches. Star Lake currently provides an exceptional opportunity for anglers interested in pursuing yellow perch.

The 2023 white sucker catch was the highest recorded in Star Lake and well above average for similar area lakes. Although most of the white suckers in Star Lake were relatively large, the high density of white suckers offer plenty of good forage for northern pike.

Another species captured with the 2023 mini fyke net sets was pumpkinseed sunfish. All individuals collected were less than 5 inches, so they currently do not support much of an angling opportunity.

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 Star Lake?