Fat Lake

How big is Fat Lake?

How deep is Fat Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Fat Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Fat Lake?

Fat Lake is a 108 acre located approximately 12 miles east of Crane Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Fat Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet with few shallow water areas. Fat Lake has characteristics similar to other trout lakes in Northeastern Minnesota, such as low fertility, soft water, good transparency, cool temperatures, well-oxygenated water, and rocky shoals. No motors are allowed on Fat Lake. Anglers must boat up the Loon River to Snow Bay on Lac La Croix, then paddle and portage a canoe through North, South, Steep, and Eugene lakes to reach Fat Lake. Anglers can also access Fat Lake by portaging a canoe through Little Loon Lake and Slim Lake. The United States Forest Service maintains one campsite located on the southeast shore. A standard survey was completed in Fat Lake in early September of 2023.

Fat Lake has no special regulations. Fishing regulations follow statewide regulations for inland water. Previous management plans identify several long-range goals, including providing a self-sustaining Lake Trout population with Lake Trout as the primary management species.

Lake Trout gill net catch rate was 20.0 fish per net, which was above average compared to previous surveys. Total length ranged from 11.1 to 20.5 inches with an average length of 16.5 inches. Average weight was 1.4 pounds, which was similar to previous surveys, but below average compared to other International Falls Area Lake Trout lakes. A total of 15 year-classes were present and ranged from 2-21 years. The 2019 year-class (age-4) represented 29% of the total sample. Although the Lake Trout in Fat Lake are relatively small and do not reach large sizes Fat Lake has the highest catch rates compared to other Lake Trout lakes in the area.

White Suckers were also present during the survey and likely provide a forage base to Lake Trout at certain times of the year, but Lake Trout diets are likely dominated by invertebrates.

What is the average air temp for Fat Lake?