Kimball

Kimball Lake is a small, 77-acre lake with a maximum depth of 16 ft and is located approximately 12 miles northeast of Grand Marais. There is a small boat access and campground located on the northeast side of the lake. Kimball Lake is a designated stream trout lake and has been actively stocked with varying rates of rainbow trout and brown trout since 1992. In 2024, a targeted survey was conducted using standard trap nets to assess the current fish community and evaluate the success of rainbow trout and brown trout stocking efforts. Rainbow trout are the primary management species within Kimball Lake. Catch rates were down but still above historical long-term average for the lake and continue to meet management goals. Rainbow trout lengths ranged from 10.1 to 16.5 inches and averaged 12.2 inches. Age and size data suggest that three stocked year classes of rainbow trout were present, with the oldest fish being 4 years old. Multiple year classes continue to exist in Kimball Lake; however growth is relatively slow. Anglers can expect average catches of eater sized Rainbow Trout from Kimball Lake. Brown trout have been stocked during odd-numbered years in Kimball Lake and catches from the 2024 survey were very low. Only one brown trout was caught during the survey, however it was aged at seven years old and measured 22.5 inches. Anglers looking to target Brown Trout in Kimball Lake can expect lower catches but have the opportunity at catching a trophy sized fish. Splake continue to be present in Kimball Lake and are likely downstream migrants from Mink Lake. Splake abundance was the highest ever recorded. Splake ranged from 9.2 to 17.8 inches and offer some decent angling opportunities. Yellow perch catch rates were found to be high during the 2024 survey and indicate they have been established for some time. Due to unwanted yellow perch, a lake reclamation may be considered to maintain this multi-stream trout fishery. Minnesota Lakes within Cook County continue to be susceptible to aquatic invasive species introductions. Invasive species have the potential to significantly alter fish communities and overall lake health. Anglers should clean watercraft and fishing gear, drain all water, and dispose of unused bait in the trash to prevent accidental introductions to these pristine waters within this part of the state.

Kimball Lake is a small designated stream trout lake, managed for stream trout since the 1930s. It has been reclaimed several times to remove undesirable fish species, with the last reclamation done in the fall of 2014 to remove yellow perch and rock bass. The lake is currently stocked annually with yearling rainbow trout in the spring, and is stocked with brown trout fingerlings in the fall of odd-numbered years. Management goals from the current (2019) lake management plan (LMP) are to maintain a rainbow trout population with a minimum trap net catch of 0.8 fish/set, with two year classes present, and maintain a brown trout population with a minimum trap net catch of 0.5 fish/set, with some fish over 20 inches present. In addition to the two stocked species, splake can sometimes be found in Kimball Lake, moving into the lake from their stocking site in Mink Lake. This was the first standard survey completed on Kimball Lake since the 2014 reclamation. It was one of three standard surveys scheduled in the 2019 LMP to determine whether goals for rainbow trout and brown trout could be met under the current stocking regime, and to monitor the lake for the reintroduction of any undesireable fish species. No undesirable fish species were taken in this survey, and it appeared that goals for the fishery probably could be met under the current stocking regime. Rainbow trout appeared to have still been abundant in the fall of 2020, despite being subjected to fairly high fishing pressure and significant harvest over the summer. The rainbow trout trap net catch was well above the goal set in the 2019 LMP, while the brown trout catch fell just below the goal for that species. The rainbow trout catch was high, compared to other stream trout lakes in this area, exceeding the normal range (0.40 - 2.24 fish/set) for fall trap net catches in stream trout lakes in this area. Although the brown trout catch did not meet the plan goal, it still fell within the normal range (0.20 - 1.00 fish/set) for this area. The splake catch also fell within the normal range for that species (0.60 - 3.24 fish/set), even though none had been stocked in Kimball Lake. No brown trout over 20 inches were taken; however, the first post-reclamation brown trout stocking was not done until 2017, and more time will likely be needed before those fish reach a size of 20 inches. Rainbow trout taken in this survey ranged in length from 10.8 to 16.4 inches. All but two were fish from the 2020 yearling stocking. Their mean length at capture (12.1 inches) indicated fairly good growth had occurred over the summer of 2020. A creel survey done on Kimball Lake in January-March 2020 showed the lake supported fairly high winter fishing pressure. Winter anglers enjoyed good success, catching relatively high numbers of rainbow trout, as well as a few brown trout and splake.

Although this survey was not done to assess fish populations in Kimball Lake, it nevertheless yielded some useful information. It was encouraging to see no Yellow Perch or Rock Bass (targets of the 2014 rehabilitation) in the trap net catch in this survey; although the survey could not prove their absence. All three trout species we expected to see in this lake were in fact represented in the catch. The Brown Trout catch was surprisingly high, well above the normal range (0.20-1.00 fish/set) for fall trap net assessments in this area. All Brown Trout sampled in this survey would have been two-year-old (nearly three-year) survivors from the 2017 fingerling stocking. As such, they appeared to have exhibited good growth. The four Rainbow Trout captured were probably all fish stocked in the spring of 2019. those fish were stocked at a mean weight of 0.33 lb/fish, and had apparently grown to a mean of 0.74 lb/fish at capture. Splake taken in this survey had entered the lake from Mink Lake, where they have been stocked annually since 2015. Movement of Splake from Mink to Kimball Lake has been common. The main purpose of this survey was the collection of trout on which we could practice the use of electric gloves as a form of non-chemical fish anesthetic. The gloves worked well and fish recovery was instantaneous as soon as they were released.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Rock Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Yellow Perch, and Brook Trout in Kimball. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Kimball. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Kimball has a maximum depth of 16 feet and a mean depth of 9.1 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Kimball is from 2013. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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