Stuart Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Today's Fishing Forecast
Fishing looks to be fairly active with peak fishing times around 2-4 PM. SEE MORE
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We want to see what you've caught on Stuart Lake.Frequently Asked Questions About Stuart Lake, MN
- How big is Stuart Lake?
- How deep is Stuart Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Stuart Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Stuart Lake area?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Stuart Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Stuart Lake?
How big is Stuart Lake?
How deep is Stuart Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Stuart Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Cisco (Tullibee), Green Sunfish and White Sucker.
Are there places to stay in the Stuart Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there places to eat and drink near Stuart Lake?
History & Status of the Fishery
Stuart Lake is located approximately 21 miles NW of Ely in the BWCAW. The most common access is via the Stuart River entry point located off the Echo Trail (CR 116). The Stuart River route involves 6 portages with a total length of 2.4 miles and approximately 6 miles of paddling on the river. There are 5 designated USFS campsites located around the lake for overnight camping.
Stuart is a softwater (low fertility) lake. The Stuart River flows through this lake with normal midsummer flows but may dry up in extremely dry summers. The inlet and outlet to Stuart Lake both have barriers to upstream fish movement (rapids and falls). Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline of Stuart Lake are mostly boulder and ledgerock, with small amounts of sand, rubble, and muck. Aquatic plants are sparse.
Walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, cisco and white sucker were sampled during the lake survey in 2016. These species were sampled in numbers near or below average. Anecdotal reports indicate that largemouth bass are also present in Stuart Lake.
Walleye numbers in 2016 (4.4/gill net) were similar to the historic average for Stuart Lake and below average compared to other similar lakes in the area. The average walleye sampled was 13 inches and about 5 years old. The largest walleye sampled in 2016 was 26 inches long which was one of only 3 walleye over 15 inches sampled. Walleye fry are stocked into Stuart once every three years, but walleye are also naturally produced in non-stocked years.
Northern pike numbers in 2016 (0.8/gill net) were identical to the historic average and below average compared to other similar lakes in the area. The average pike sampled was 24 inches and the largest pike sampled in 2016 was 31 inches long.
Yellow perch abundance in 2016 (2.0/gill net) was nearly identical to the historic average and below average compared to other similar lakes in the area. The average perch sampled was 10 inches and the largest perch in 2016 was 13.5 inches long.
What is the average air temp for Stuart Lake?
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Stuart Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Nibin Lake | 1.3 mi | 40 | |
| Bibon Lake | 1.7 mi | 27 | |
| Contest Lake | 1.8 mi | 20 | |
| Fox Lake | 1.8 mi | 30 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.9 mi | 25 | |
| Batista Lake | 1.9 mi | 86 | |
| Rush Lake | 2.3 mi | 115 | 10 ft |
| Dark Lake | 2.6 mi | 34 | 10 ft |
| Sterling Lake | 2.6 mi | 166 | |
| Lake Agnes | 2.9 mi | 1,045 | 30 ft |
