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 a 367 acre lake with a maximum depth of 115 feet and mostly clear water. Ojibway Lake is a two-story fishery with deep, cold, well oxygenated water capable of supporting a cold water fishery and a shallow, warmer, but still well oxygenated area capable of supporting a cool and warm water fishery.

Three dissolved oxygen profiles (western, middle, and eastern basins) were taken on Ojibway Lake on July 25, 2022. All three basins showed thermal stratification with surface temperatures near 70 F and bottom temps all around 40 F. On the western basin, the depth range ideal for supporting lake trout was 23 to 80 feet. In the middle basin, the ideal depth range was 25 to 65 feet. The eastern basin is not capable of supporting lake trout in the summer but water with oxygen levels capable of supporting most gamefish was retained 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.

The overall deep water gillnet catch rate for all fish combined was 13.9 fish/net which was below average for the lake. Yield was 8.4 lbs/net which was just above average. Fish species sampled in deep water gill nets were cisco, lake trout, and norther pike. The overall shallow water gillnet catch rate for all fish combined was 10.0 fish/net which was the lowest on record for the lakes. Yield was 16.6 lbs/net which was just above average. Fish species sampled were northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, cisco, white sucker, walleye, largemouth bass, and black crappie. The overall trapnet catch rate for all fish combined was 18.0 fish/net which was right at the historic average for the lake. Yield was 3.9 lbs/net which was just below average. Fish species sampled were bluegill, rock bass, northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, black crappie, and yellow perch.

Lake trout numbers in Ojibway Lake have generally been low, but the 2022 lake trout catch of 0.5 fish/deep gill net was the highest catch rate since 2005. Six lake trout were caught ranging from 9 to nearly 34 inches with an average of 25 inches. None of these fish had clipped fins indicating all were naturally reproduced. Stocking last occurred in 2010.

Three walleye were sampled in the shallow water gill nets for a catch rate of 0.3 fish/net. Catch rates for walleye have always been extremely low (0.0 to 0.2 fish/net) on Ojibway. Lengths of these three walleye were 18, 19, and 20 inches. These fish were 4, 7, and 7 years old respectively. Although the sample size is small, the growth of these fish was quite good. Walleye stocking began in 2017. Only the four year old fish came from one of those stocked years.

The northern pike shallow water gillnet catch was 3.0 fish/net which was the highest on record for the lake. Lengths ranged from 19 to 32 inches with an average of nearly 25 inches.

Twelve smallmouth bass were sampled in shallow water gill nets for a catch rate of 1.3 fish/net which was the second highest on record for the lake. The mean weight for shallow water gillnetted fish was 1.2 pounds. Lengths ranged from 5.5 to 17 inches with an average of 12 inches. Growth rates were fairly slow compared to other lakes with the average smallmouth taking four years to reach 8 inches long. Ages ranged from 2 to 10 years.

The bluegill trapnet catch rate was 13.4 fish/net. This was very good compared to other similar lakes and right at the average when compared to past surveys on Ojibway. Sizes ranged from 3 to 7 inches with an average of just over 5 inches.

The yellow perch shallow gillnet catch was 1.1 fish/net which was the lowest on record for the lake. Fish were small with an average weight of 0.1 pounds and lengths ranging from 6 to 8.5 inches.

Cisco numbers in 2022 (13.3 fish/deep gill net) were just below the average value for all investigations on the lake (14.3 fish/deep gill net). The average weight was 0.3 pounds and sizes ranged from 7 to nearly 14 inches with an average of nearly 10 inches.

What is the average air temp for Ojibway Lake?