Musquash

Musquash Lake is a small, 140-acre lake with a maximum depth of 26.0 feet located 11 miles north of Grand Marais in Cook County, Minnesota. Access to the lake is considered moderate, with an approximate one mile drive down a rugged forest road (FR 1442) and then a 0.5-mile portage into the lake. Access to the lake in the winter is significantly easier with a snowmobile. Musquash Lake is currently managed for splake and is annually stocked with 6,000 fingerlings during the fall. The long-range goal for splake is to maintain a minimum gillnet catch of 13.0 fish/net with three catchable age classes present. In 2025, a standard survey was conducted on Musquash Lake to assess the splake population. Splake abundance continues to be relatively high from gillnet sets at 27.0 fish/net and met the management objective for the lake. Splake lengths ranged from 10.0 to 17.8 inches, with an average length of 13.0 inches. The size structure was good with over half the catch greater than 13.0 inches. The catch was made up of age two, three, and four-year-old fish coming from the 2023, 2022, and 2021 stocking events. Growth was average compared to other Grand Marais area lakes, but good for the lake considering the high numbers of fish present. Habitat for splake were limited during the summer, with surface waters being too warm and deep waters limited of oxygen. It does appear the splake can withstand these stressful conditions during the summer enough to continue supporting the population in the future. Anglers looking to fish Musquash Lake should expect to work harder getting into the lake but be rewarded with high catches of larger sized splake. White sucker abundance was also high during the survey and similar to the long-term average, but does not appear to be affecting the splake population at this time. 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.

Musquash Lake has been managed for stream trout since at least 1941, and is one of only a couple lakes in Minnesota to have been stocked with Grayling at one time. This standard survey was the first of two scheduled in the 2009 lake management plan to determine whether goals for the Splake population could be met following a reduction in the annual stocking quota from 9,000 fingerlings to 6,000 fingerlings that began in 2011. Goals for Splake in the 2009 plan were to maintain a minimum gill net catch of 10.0 fish/set, with at least three catchable-sized (over 10 inch) year classes present, and with average or better growth rates for two- and three-year-old fish. The 2017 Splake gill net catch was very high, and even though only two gill net sets were used in this survey, it is probably safe to say the catch goal from the 2009 plan was met. Six stocked year classes contributed to the catch, five of which were catchable sized. Splake as old as seven years were sampled; however, Splake growth rates were slow. Fish reached a mean length of 10.9 inches at the end of their third year, compared to an area average of 12.8 inches. Slow growth was no doubt due to heavy competition between Splake, and intense competition for invertebrate forage from a large White Sucker population. The White Sucker gill net catch was extremely high in 2017, the highest ever seen in Musquash Lake (by a wide margin), and far exceeding the normal range for stream trout lakes in this area. Even though some smaller White Sucker were present, most were too large to have been taken by any but the largest Splake in the lake. Quarter-inch mesh trap nets were used in this survey to assess forage that might have been provided by the lake's minnow community. Minnows appeared to have been abundant; Fathead Minnow and Pearl Dace catches both far exceeded normal ranges for lakes in this area. Such high minnow numbers should have supported good Splake growth; it may be that invertebrate forage is more important for good growth than minnow forage bases in lakes like Musquash.

Splake were abundant in Musquash Lake in 2008, although not as abundant as they have been in the past. Although fish as old as five years were taken, most of the catch consisted of one or two-year-old fish from the 2007 or 2006 fingerling stockings. Fish from the 2007 stocking were seven to nine inches long by July 2008, while fish from the 2006 stocking (identified by adipose fin clips) were 11 to 16 inches long. Despite competition from a very large white sucker population, splake growth had been about average for this area. Splake may have been able to maintain reasonable growth rates because of the presence of fairly high numbers of young-of-year white sucker and fathead minnows.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Splake in Musquash. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Musquash has a maximum depth of 26 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Musquash is from 2025.

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