Cramer

Cramer Lake is located 9 miles northeast of Finland in the Superior National Forest. Public access is a 30 yard carry in along Lake County Highway 7 with a small parking area suitable for 2 vehicles. The lake has an area of 68 acres with a maximum depth of 4 feet. This standard survey was conducted the week of June 25, 2019 to evaluate current management goals and provide data to guide future management. Cramer Lake is primarily managed for Northern Pike and Yellow Perch. Northern Pike gill net catch was 8/net that averaged 5.2 pounds each. Trap net catch was 1.4/net and these fish averaged 1.8 pounds. The largest fish sampled was 37.8 inches long and weighed 11.7 pounds. The overall size structure was good with 19% of the total catch longer than 30 inches. Interestingly, all of the 30 inch plus fish were greater than 10 years old. Yellow Perch gill net catch was14/net with an average weight of nearly a third of a pound. The largest fish sampled was 11.1 inches long with 43% of the total catch longer than 9 inches. White Sucker gill net catch was 17/net with an average weight of 2.1 pounds. Trap net catch was 0.4/net with an average weight of 3.7 pounds. Other species sampled were Blacknose Shiner, Brook Trout, Creek Chub, Golden Shiner, Iowa Darter, Johnny Darter and Pumpkinseed. Cramer Lake is locally known as a good Northern Pike lake with 10 pound fish caught regularly along with an occasional wall hanger. The lake is very shallow and wild rice can be abundant. It is also used by wild rice harvesters and duck hunters. Although there are some very nice perch present, the vast majority of anglers on Cramer are targeting pike. Overall, Cramer Lake is lightly fished during the bulk of the year. Early spring before vegetation becomes thick and early ice fishing are the most popular periods to fish this lake. With the new Northern Pike regulation in the Northeast Region of a 30-40 inch protected slot, Cramer Lake has the possibility of producing more trophy Northern Pike.

Cramer Lake is a 62 acre body of water located approximately 10 miles northeast of Finland, MN. The maximum depth was 4 feet, with heavy aquatic vegetation over much of the lake. Wild rice, dense enough for recreational harvest, was found in the north end and west side of the lake. The lake access is a carry-down trail from Lake County Road #7 to the southeast shore. There was parking for approximately two vehicles at the pull-off from the main road. The secchi disk reading in 2010 was 3.2 feet in the brown, bog stained water. Water quality measurements indicated Cramer Lake was a moderately hard-water infertile lake. Muck and detritus were the most abundant substrates followed by boulder, rubble, gravel, sand. Most of the firm substrate was found along the south and southeast shores. Spawning habitat was rated "good" for northern pike, yellow perch and sunfish, with abundant aquatic vegetation present. The fish sample in 2010 consisted of northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker and yellow perch. Northern pike were sampled in above average numbers in 2010. Average size was 1.8 pounds (19.1inches) with the largest northern pike measuring 30.4 inches. The yellow perch numbers were about average for this type of lake. The average size was 0.2 pound (7.3 inches) and the largest yellow perch was 10.5 inches. Pumpkinseed sunfish are present in Cramer Lake but the average size was very small. Ninety-six percent of the pumpkinseeds measured in 2010 were less than 5 inches. There are many small lakes in the Finland area with fish communities similar to Cramer Lake, with a northern pike population sustained by a yellow perch/white sucker forage base. While large numbers of large northern pike are unlikely in these small lakes, it is possible to catch enough northern pike for a meal and have a chance for the rare trophy fish. Cramer Lake is lightly fished during the bulk of the year. Early spring and early ice fishing are the most popular periods to fish this lake.

Northern Pike catch in one gillnet was 6 fish/lift as compared to the area average of 4.08 fish/lift. White Sucker density appears very high, as their catch in the gillnet was 49 fish/lift, which is about 3.5 times the area average. Yellow Perch gillnet catch was about equal to the area average. Pumpkinseed present are apparently the result of an introduction in the late 1930s.

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

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

Cramer has a maximum depth of 4 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Cramer is from 2019.

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