Pike

Pike Lake is an 814-acre lake located 9 miles west of Grand Marais. Public access is through a boat landing on the south side of the lake. It lies within the Lake Superior North watershed, draining to Lake Superior via Murmur Creek, Caribou Creek, and the Poplar River. Many different fish species have been historically stocked (bass, walleye, trout, sunfish) into Pike Lake with rainbow trout being the last stocked in 1978. Walleye and smallmouth bass are the primary and secondary management species in the lake. The 2023 survey was conducted to monitor the fish community and evaluate abundance and size goals set for the walleye and smallmouth bass populations. Walleye catch rates did not change from the previous survey in 2019 and were slightly down from surveys historically. However, walleye catch rates are considerably higher when compared to other walleye lakes in the area. Walleye ranged from 7 to 26 inches, while the average length and weight of walleye sampled in gill nets was just under 16 inches and about 1.5 lbs, both of which were considered above average compared to historical results for the lake. All walleye were reproduced naturally. Smallmouth bass catch rates were down slightly from the last two surveys in 2015 and 2019, but within the normal range for the lake. Smallmouth bass ranged from 6 to 18 inches in length and were good sized. Of the "catchable" sized bass (eight inches or longer) sampled in 2023, about 88% were longer than twelve inches, and about 47% were 16 inches or longer. Smallmouth bass easily exceeded the size goal set for Pike Lake with excellent size structure that anglers will enjoy. Since first being found in 1983 northern pike catch rates have been low to moderate. The 2023 survey was towards the upper end of the normal range for the lake and slightly higher compared to other lakes in the area. Northern pike found in the survey were large and ranged between 21 to 36 inches with many larger than 30 inches. Pike Lake continues to support somewhat low densities of large sized northern pike with an average size greater than five lbs. Yellow perch populations had been declining from 2006 to 2019 but bounced back into the normal range in 2023. Yellow perch ranged from 5 to 13 inches in size with a decent proportion of fish over nine inches. High numbers of young of year yellow perch in quarter-inch trap nets indicate good recruitment in 2023. Yellow perch provide an excellent forage base for walleye and good numbers of larger yellow perch are desirable for anglers. Lake whitefish catch rates were average for Pike Lake and similar to other lakes in the area. Lake whitefish ranged between 14 and 23 inches with many fish larger than 20 inches. A temperature-dissolved oxygen profile completed during this survey found cold, well-oxygenated habitat suitable for whitefish present for a sufficient range of the water column. These results indicate that lake whitefish populations are still in good shape in Pike Lake. Cook County, Minnesota lakes 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.

Pike Lake lies within the Lake Superior North watershed, draining to Lake Superior via Murmur Creek, Caribou Creek, and the Poplar River. We have no records of any gamefish being native to this lake; walleye and bass were introduced in the 1930s and northern pike did not appear in the lake until the 1980s. Walleye and smallmouth bass are listed as primary and secondary management species in the current (2017) lake management plan (LMP). Long range goals for walleye are to maintain a minimum gill net catch of 9.7 fish/set, with at least 13% of walleye taken in gill nets at or above 16 inches in length. The goal for smallmouth bass is to maintain a proportional size distribution (PSD) of 25 for the combined gill and trap net catch (25% of fish over 8 inches in length should exceed 12 inches in length). This was the first of two standard surveys scheduled in the 2017 LMP to determine whether resumption of walleye stocking was needed. The second will be completed in 2023. In addition to this standard survey, a creel survey covering the open-water season from May through September was done in 2019, a score-the-shore habitat survey was completed, and locations of large woody debris along the lakeshore were plotted as the basis for an upcoming habitat project. Good numbers of walleye were present in Pike Lake in 2019, with fish in a wide range of sizes available. Although the 2019 walleye gill net catch fell below the long range goal for this lake, it was still above average for the lake class, and was similar to catches seen in this lake since 2003. Twenty-three of the 92 walleye taken in gill nets (25%) were 16 inches in length or larger, a value that met the size goal in the 2017 plan. Sixteen year classes, all naturally produced, and including fish as old as 24 years, contributed to the catch. It appeared that fairly strong year classes had been produced in 2015 and 2017. Growth of young walleye had been slower than average. Fish reached a mean length of 12.5 inches at the end of their fourth year, compared to an area mean of 14.4 inches. It took six or seven years for walleye to reach a length of 17 inches. Slow growth may have been due to a lack of yellow perch, combined with competition from smallmouth bass. Creel survey results in 2019 indicated anglers harvested an estimated 113 walleye from Pike Lake over the summer, for an estimated yield of 0.26 lb/acre. Walleye were harvested at a mean length of 18.0 inches, with released fish averaging 17.2 inches. Walleye as large as 26 inches were reported to have been harvested, although most of the fish taken at about that size were released. The estimated summer walleye yield on Pike Lake in 2019 was below our best estimate for maximum potential yield (0.43 lb/acre). Fifty-eight percent of parties interviewed on Pike Lake in 2019 said they were seeking walleye, and those anglers experienced harvest and catch rates of 0.098 and 0.271 walleye/angler-hour, respectively. Smallmouth bass were abundant and large in this lake in 2019. Smallmouth bass gill and trap net catches in 2019 both exceeded normal ranges. Smallmouth bass taken in gill nets were unusually large, for a lake of this class, while those taken in trap nets were unusually small. That wide difference was typical in this lake. The PSD for the combined catch (64) exceeded the goal set for this lake, and was as high, or higher, than values seen in the lake when it was covered by an 11-inch maximum size limit. That regulation was dropped in 2005, with, apparently, little or no effect on the bass population. Ten year classes, including fish as old as 19 years, contributed to the 2019 smallmouth bass catch. Their growth had been fairly fast; fish reached a mean length of 15.6 inches at the end of their seventh year, compared to an area average of 13.4 inches. Good bass growth was no doubt supported by the large numbers of crayfish found in this lake. During the 2019 summer creel survey 45% of parties interviewed on Pike Lake reported seeking smallmouth bass, with harvest and catch rates for those parties estimated at 0.129 and 0.761 smallmouth bass/angler-hour. Total estimated summer harvest of smallmouth bass was 494 fish. It appeared that the mean length for smallmouth bass harvested in 2019 was the highest recorded to date for this lake. Pike Lake has typically supported low numbers of northern pike, but fish have been above average in size. That was again the case in 2019. Four year classes contributed to the 2019 catch, and none were apparently strong. Growth of younger fish had been somewhat faster than average. Fish reached a mean length of 21.9 inches at the end of their third year, compared to an area mean of 19.9 inches. Few yellow perch remained in this lake in 2019. The 2019 yellow perch gill net catch was the lowest seen in this lake since 1977, and was below average for the lake class. Yellow perch catches have declined sharply and fairly steadily in Pike Lake since 1989. In addition to low catches seen in standard nets, the 2019 survey was the first in this lake to fail to catch a single young-of-year yellow perch in 0.25-inch-mesh trap nets. The lake once supported a thriving yellow perch fishery, but very few were observed or reported caught during the 2019 creel survey. The decline in yellow perch has been linked by some to a reported decline in aquatic vegetation in this lake that may in turn have been caused by a severe rusty crayfish infestation. Pike Lake continued to support a modest lake whitefish population in 2019. Most of the fish taken in 2019 appeared (based on length) to have been mature adults, and recruitment may have been low. White sucker were also collected in 2019, but their numbers apparently remained low. The single brook trout taken in Pike Lake in 2019 could have entered the lake from its outlet, Murmur Creek, or from its Pike Lake Creek inlet. Both are designated trout streams supporting wild brook trout populations. Pike Lake is infested with rusty crayfish. Anglers and others should be careful not to transport any live crayfish when leaving this lake. Standard invasive species precautions (draining water, dumping minnow buckets, and drying all equipment) should prevent the movement of rusty crayfish, as well as any other invasives that may be or become established in the lake.

Walleye were fairly abundant in Pike Lake in 2015. Although their average size was low it was similar to past results in this lake. Some larger fish were present, with several fish over 20 inches included in the catch. All walleye collected in 2015 had been produced naturally, with a strong 2012 year class accounting for nearly half the total catch. Moderately strong year classes had also been produced in 2011, 2013, and 2014. Growth of younger walleye had been slightly slower than average; fish reached a mean length of 13.4 inches by the end of their fourth year. Walleye as old as 17 years were collected. Gill and trap net catches in 2015 gave conflicting information on the smallmouth bass population. The trap net catch was low, but the gill net catch was high. It seemed most likely that smallmouth bass remained abundant in Pike Lake in 2015, and may have just moved off-shore (out of reach of trap nets) at the time this survey was done. The lake supported a high-quality bass populatiuon in 2015, with most of the fish taken in gill nets larger than 12 inches, and some as large as 18 inches seen. It appeared that dropping the smallmouth bass experimental regulation on this lake in 2005 had little or no effect on the quality of the bass population. Growth of young smallmouth bass collected in 2015 had been relatively fast; they reached a mean length of 10.7 inches by the end of their fourth year, compared to an area average of 9.1 inches. As has usually been the case in this lake, northern pike were present in fair numbers and above-average sizes. Growth of younger fish had been about average, with fish reaching a length of 19.2 inches by the end of their third year. Larger fish were the result of good long-term survival, with fish as old as nine years taken. Pike Lake offers high-quality coldwater forage (lake whitefish) and deep cool-water refuge areas needed to produce large northern pike in this area. The yellow perch gill net catch was high for a lake of this type, but was still one of the lower catches seen in Pike Lake in the last 20 years, continuing a decline in perch catches evident since 1989. Although their numbers may have been down, yellow perch continued to provide an excellent forage base for walleye and northern pike, and many were large enough to offer some angling opportunity as well. Pike Lake continued to support a modest lake whitefish population. Most of the fish taken in 2015 appeared (based on length) to have been mature adults. White sucker were also collected in 2015, but their numbers appeared to have been low.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, and Brook Trout in Pike. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Pike has a maximum depth of 45 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Pike is from 2023.

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