Wolf

Wolf Lake is located along the Continental Divide between the Mississippi River and Lake Superior watersheds and is entirely within Savanna Portage State Park in eastern Aitkin County. A state park permit is required to access the lake. It is the only lake in the Saint Louis River drainage surveyed by Aitkin area fisheries staff. The shoreline is completely undeveloped and the land adjacent to the lake is primarily a mix of wetlands and lowland spruce forest. Most of the lake is shallow, less than ten feet deep, except for one hole that reaches a maximum of 31 feet. Low winter oxygen conditions have occurred in past winters resulting in fish kills, but apparently not in recent years. The fish community is relatively simple with ten species observed during the 2012 survey, which included standard survey nets and additional sampling for non-game fish. The most popular game fishes to target are northern pike and black crappie. Northern pike, which have reestablished a naturally reproducing population since being stocked in 1997 and 1998 due to low abundance, have a poor size structure with most fish less than 24 inches long. Research suggests that production of large predator biomass is relatively low and harvest of only a few large pike from a lake of this size can greatly impact the population. Anglers are encouraged to release larger pike and keep the smaller fish for a meal. Recycling the quality sized fish is also the best way to ensure a quality sized fish in your next trip. Black crappie have also become established since being introduced to the lake in 1995. They are naturally a reproducing population with a good size structure. The 2012 catch of 8.7 per gill net was above the normal range for similar lakes. Size in standard survey gear ranged from 4.5 to 11.5 inches and averaged 7.6 inches with 29% greater than 10 inches. Yellow perch may also provide some angling opportunities although their abundance is below the normal range for similar lakes. Size of fish was good with an average of 9.1 inches. Other fish species sampled, in 2012, include bluegill, brown bullhead, golden shiner, Iowa darter, tadpole madtom, and white sucker.

Wolf Lake is located within the Savanna Portage State Park and has an entirely undeveloped shoreline, most of which is spruce bog. Access to the lake is limited to park patrons, which combined with its more remote location somewhat limits fishing pressure. The lake is shallow except for one 31 foot hole off of the access. Because of the shallow bathymetry of the lake the fish community may be subjected to low dissolved oxygen concentrations in severe winters. The extent and frequency of winterkill events are not known. The fish community composition sampled in past surveys has fluctuated over time. In 1971, the assessment documented yellow perch, white sucker, pumpkinseed sunfish, northern pike and brown bullhead. The assessment in 1989 caught no northern pike and showed both brown and black bullheads. To provide more fishing opportunity, black crappies were stocked in the spring of 1995 and northern pike were stocked in 1997 and 1998. The 1995 assessment documented the newly stocked crappies, one northern and only black bullheads. The most recent assessment in 2000 showed evidence of naturally reproducing northern pike and black crappie populations. The northern pike population had five year-classes of fish, only two of which were stocked. The average size sampled in 2000 was 25.8 inches and the largest fish was over 33 inches. The 2000 assessment showed a population of black crappies with an abundance that is just above the normal range for this type of lake. There were four year-classes represented from 1996 through 1999, which should provide a good fishery in the next couple of years, as these fish grow into more desirable sizes, if winter oxygen depletion doesn't cause significant mortality first. Yellow perch abundance has fluctuated inversely with the abundance of northern pike in the lake, but has always remained at abundance reasonable for this type of lake. Black bullhead abundance from test net indices increased significantly between the 1995 and 2000 to a level that is well above the normal range for this type of lake. It has been a number of years since the last severe winter. The abundance and structure of the fish community is likely to change with future winterkill events.

Wolf Lake is located within the Savanna Portage State Park and access to the lake is limited to park patrons. The lake probably receives very low fishing pressure because access to the lake requires traversing an unimproved road to reach a small, low-maintenance sand boat ramp. The lake also lacks good fishing structure and the fish population has varied across previous surveys. The fisheries survey in 1989 indicated an acceptable population of yellow perch, some larger white suckers and a population of brown bullheads. To enhance the fishery, black crappies were stocked into the lake in the spring of 1995. The crappies appear to have survived through the first summer and have grown well. The average black crappie grew at least 3.5 inches in its first year in Wolf Lake. The crappies ranged from 5.2 to 8.6 inches long and were all young fish. Survival through the winters, which are relatively harsh in Wolf Lake, will determine whether or not the crappies produce a beneficial fishery. The northern pike is an unstable member of the fish community in the lake. Only one pike, albeit a large one, was caught in this survey. No pike were caught in the survey in 1989. Several northern pike were caught in the 1971 survey. The yellow perch population also appears to fluctuate, possibly in inverse response to the northern pike population. The abundance of larger yellow perch decreases and increases as the pike population increases and decreases. In the previous survey in 1989 the perch averaged 8.9 inches. In this survey only two yellow perch more than 8.9 inches was caught. Bullheads have gotten smaller in the lake, largely due to a shift from brown bullheads to black bullheads. This shift in species indicates a change in the water quality within Wolf Lake. Low dissolved oxygen levels in winter probably have caused the shift in bullhead species and similar changes in the past.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Black Crappie, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseed, and Bluegill in Wolf. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Wolf. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Wolf has a maximum depth of 31 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Wolf is from 2012. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

No invasive species are on record for Wolf in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.