Unnamed

Unnamed Lake, better known as Little Portage Lake, is a small designated stream trout lake that has been managed for stream trout since 1979. The lake is located in the mid-Gunflint Trail area and can be accessed via a 0.7-mile long logging trail running off the west side of the Poplar Lake Public Access Road, about 0.3-miles south of the turnoff from Cook County Road 92. This trail was lightly brushed by USFS and DNR crews in recent years to improve access, although a high clearance vehicle is still necessary to drive to the lake, and users should be aware there are minimal turnout locations. Little Portage Lake was last rehabilitated in 1982 and has been stocked almost exclusively with Brook Trout fingerlings since 1991. The current goal for this lake, as identified in 2018 lake management plan, is to maintain a minimum gill net catch for Brook Trout of 3.0 fish/set, with some fish over 14 inches in length present. Beginning in 2019, the stocking frequency for this lake was reduced from annual to alternate (odd) years due to continually increasing aerial stocking costs. To account for the reduced stocking frequency, the Brook Trout quota was increased from 500 to 800 fingerlings/stocking. The 2022 standard survey was the first to examine the fishery since Brook Trout stocking frequency was reduced. During the period in which Brook Trout were stocked annually, Brook Trout gill net catches in surveys ranged from 3.0 to 12.0 fish/set. The 2022 Brook Trout catch (4.5 fish/set) fell within this historic range of catch rates for the lake and met the abundance goal set for the population. The sample was comprised of primarily one-year-old Brook Trout, although a couple age-3 fish, measuring just over 14 inches in length, were also sampled. Age-1 Brook Trout appeared to be growing well, averaging 10.75 inches at the time of capture. These results suggest two catchable year classes were present in the lake in 2022. Brook Trout survival to age-4 has been rare in small, shallow lakes of this type, and none of the fish stocked in 2018 were observed in 2022. White Sucker and Green Sunfish are the primary undesirable fish species established in Little Portage Lake. Both species can compete with Brook Trout for invertebrate forage, although Brook Trout have been known to feed on small Green Sunfish when they are available. White Sucker were first detected in the lake in 2002 and have appeared to increase in abundance since that time. Green Sunfish have been present since 1998 but haven't appeared overly abundant, based on gill netting results.

Unnamed Lake is a designated stream trout lake, better known as Little Portage Lake. It has been managed for stream trout since 1979, and has been stocked almost exclusively with Brook Trout fingerlings since 1991. The current goal for this lake (from the 2018 lake management plan) is to maintain a minimum gill net catch for Brook Trout of 3.0 fish/set, with some fish over 14 inches in length present. The 2018 Brook Trout catch was the lowest seen to date in this lake; however, the low catch was due to a disruption in stocking caused by the temporary closure of the state's Crystal Springs hatchery. Only Brook Trout three years or more of age would have been present in this lake in 2018, and fish of that age tend to be scarce in any stream trout lake. Although the 2018 catch fell short of the catch goal for the lake, the size goal was met by the capture of four fish over 14 inches in length. All were survivors of a 2015 stocking of Minnesota Wild-strain fingerlings. Those fish had exhibited average growth for the area, reaching a mean length of 12.4 inches at the end of their third year, compared to an area average of 12.7 inches. Regular Brook Trout stocking resumed in 2018 (after this survey was done). Rainbow Trout had been stocked in 2016 to replace Brook Trout stocking scheduled that year, but none of those fish were taken in this survey. Catches of Rainbow Trout tend to be lower than catches of Brook Trout in area lakes, and a catch of zero, in just two gill net sets, would not be unusual when only a single year class is present. Undesirable fish species taken in the 2018 survey included White Sucker and Green Sunfish. The White Sucker gill net catch was one of the highest seen in this lake, but still fell within the normal range (2.8-14.8 fish/set) for spring surveys of stream trout lakes in this area. No Green Sunfish were taken in gill nets, but minnow traps collected several. Both species can compete with Brook Trout for invertebrate forage, although Brook Trout have been known to feed on small Green Sunfish when they are available.

This unnamed lake, known locally and historically as Little Portage Lake, is a designated stream trout lake that has been managed for trout since 1979. It has been stocked with brook trout fingerlings annually since 1991. Following relatively high catches of white sucker and green sunfish in 2006, the 2007 lake management plan scheduled assessments of the lake in 2010 and 2014 to determine whether a rehabilitation of the lake would be needed. Brook trout seemed to have been fairly abundant in Little Portage Lake in 2014, and fish as large as 14 inches were collected. The gill net catch was within the normal range (2.50-14.25 fish/set) for a spring assessment of a stream trout lake in this area, and was similar to catches seen in this lake since 2002. The mean weight for brook trout taken in gill nets matched the average for trout lakes in this area. Three stocked year classes contributed to the catch, with some fish surviving to four years of age. There appears to be no need for a rehabilitation of this lake. Management goals for brook trout have been met, and the number of white sucker and green sunfish taken in gill nets has declined since the peak observed in 2006. Although both species compete with brook trout for forage, neither seems to have been excessively abundant in recent years. Brook trout can do well in lakes where minnows are available as forage, and sampling with minnow traps in 2014 indicated Little Portage Lake supported populations of fathead minnow and northern redbelly dace.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Green Sunfish in Unnamed. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Unnamed has a maximum depth of 27 feet and a mean depth of 11.1 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Unnamed is from 2022.

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