South McDougal Lake

How big is South McDougal Lake?

How deep is South McDougal Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in South McDougal Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near South McDougal Lake?

South McDougal Lake is located in the Isabella area within the Superior National Forest. The lake is shallow, with a maximum depth of just seven feet, and 287 acres in size. Anglers access the lake by boating from North McDougal Lake upstream via Coyote Creek approximately 1.6 miles. The current fish community is maintained by natural processes that regulate the populations of each species that inhabit the lake. A standard survey was complete in 2021 to monitor the status of the fisheries resources in the lake.

Anglers that make their way to South McDougal Lake in the coming years will be greeted by an abundant Walleye population with a small size structure. The 2021 catch rate of 13.7 per gill net was above normal for similar lakes and the highest to date from nine previous surveys of the lake. Size of Walleye captured from all gears combined ranged from 7.2 to 26.2 inches, but a majority of the fish were less than a foot long. Age analysis determined eleven year classes were represented in the catch with the 2019 year class accounting for 35% of the catch. These results indicate that natural reproduction continues to provide a Walleye population with good opportunities for smaller fish along with the potential for catching a quality sized fish.

The Northern Pike catch rate of 2.33 per gill net was below the normal range for similar lakes, but not significantly different from historic catches on the lake. While most pike captured tend to be of a small size, fish exceeding 30" long have been sampled in surveys fairly regularly over the years. Although unlikely to encounter a trophy sized pike, anglers have a reasonable chance to catch this hard fighting species.

Bluegill are a relatively new species to the McDougal chain of lakes and appear to have established a self-sustaining population throughout the system. They were first sampled from Middle McDougal Lake in 2000, when all of the lakes in the chain where sampled in a single season. They have subsequently been sampled in all of the surveys of North, Middle, and South McDougal Lakes. The 2021 catch rate of 3.89 per trap net was the highest to date on South McDougal Lake. Anglers able to catch Bluegill from the lake will appreciate the large size structure of the current population as the average size of fish sampled was over eight inches long.

What is the average air temp for South McDougal Lake?

Are there any state parks near South McDougal Lake?