Hogback

Hogback Lake is located 10 miles east of Isabella on the Wanless Road (USFS 172) in the Superior National Forest. There is a public access with earthen ramp and ample parking for several vehicles. The Lake is popular with anglers and other recreational users with a 3 site US Forest Service campground, a picnic area, one water access campsite, a handicapped accessible fishing pier and hiking trails. The lake is 40 acres with a maximum depth of 43 feet. A standard survey was completed on October 19 and 20, 2020 to evaluate current management goals and provide data to inform future management. Rainbow Trout and Splake are the primary managed species and the lake is stocked with 1,000 yearling Rainbow Trout each spring and 4,000 fingerling Splake each fall. Rainbow Trout catch was 1.5 per net, with an average weight and length of 0.8 pounds and 13.1 inches. Fish from each of the last two seasons were captured indicating at least some fish do carry over past first year. Splake catch was 7 per net, with an average weight of 0.7 pounds and average length of 12.1 inches. The largest fish sampled was 20.2 inches and 2.5 pounds. Fish from three of the last four years of stocking were sampled with age-2 fish making up over half of the catch. Brook Trout gill net catch of 2.5 per net was average compared to similar lakes. The average weight and length was 1.7 pounds and 15.7 inches. This was a one-time stocking event due to covid restrictions, which prevented some of Finland's remote Brook Trout lakes from being stocked in 2020. Yellow Perch were sampled in 2011 and have become established in the lake. Yellow Perch catch of 10/net, with an average weight of 0.17 pounds were both near the upper end of the normal range for similar lakes. The largest fish sampled was 10.8 inches long and weighed 0.5 pounds, and 15% of the catch was at least nine inches long. One White Sucker was sampled with a length of 17.9 inches and weight of 2.5 pounds. Yellow Perch and White Sucker populations will continue to be monitored as Hogback Lake is a potential candidate for lake reclamation.

Hogback Lake is a designated stream trout lake that is stocked annually with yearling Rainbow Trout and fingerling Splake. A survey was completed in 2020 to monitor the amount of cool, well oxygenated habitat available for trout during the summer. Temperature and dissolved oxygen profiles were collected on several occasions in each of the two basins to determine how deep well oxygenated water occurred. Survey results indicate summer dissolved oxygen concentrations and water temperatures were adequate for trout in Hogback Lake in 2020. Similar surveys completed previously suggest periods of stress can occur in the basin with the public access in summer months, but the lake currently maintains suitable habitat for stream trout throughout the open water season. Habitat conditions will continue to be monitored to evaluate the suitability of Hogback Lake for stream trout management.

Hogback Lake is a designated stream trout lake that is stocked annually with yearling Rainbow Trout and fingerling Splake. A survey was completed in 2020 to monitor the amount of cool, well oxygenated habitat available for trout during the summer. Temperature and dissolved oxygen profiles were collected on several occasions in each of the two basins to determine how deep well oxygenated water occurred. Survey results indicate summer dissolved oxygen concentrations and water temperatures were adequate for trout in Hogback Lake in 2020. Similar surveys completed previously suggest periods of stress can occur in the basin with the public access in summer months, but the lake currently maintains suitable habitat for stream trout throughout the open water season. Habitat conditions will continue to be monitored to evaluate the suitability of Hogback Lake for stream trout management.

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

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

Hogback has a maximum depth of 43 feet and a mean depth of 13.3 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Hogback is from 2020.

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