Scarp

Scarp Lake is a designated trout lake stocked with catchable sized yearling Rainbow Trout each spring located ten miles east of Isabella and within the Superior National Forest. Anglers fishing from watercraft typically access the lake via a 20-rod portage trail from Hogback Lake. Shore anglers can use the hiking trails maintained by the US Forest Service that surround the lake to access shore fishing spots that include two remote campsites. The 2025 fisheries survey captured 11 Rainbow Trout combined from standard gill nets and forty-five minutes of open water angling effort. All but one of the trout had been stocked in the spring while the remaining fish survived one winter in the lake. These results indicate the lake currently maintains opportunities for trout throughout summer and winter seasons. Unfortunately, high numbers of Yellow Perch were also captured. The area office had received reports of anglers catching perch in the lake beginning in January 2023, but this was the first DNR fisheries survey to document the species in the lake. It is likely that localized extreme weather events created unique hydrologic conditions that allowed perch to migrate from adjacent Hogback Lake. Perch have been shown to negatively impact angler satisfaction on stocked trout lakes. The lake will continue to be monitored to determine if management actions are needed, but survey results indicate trout opportunities are currently being maintained throughout the angling seasons.

Scarp Lake is a designated trout lake located about 10 miles east of Isabella that is close to 40 acres in size with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Anglers fishing from watercraft typically access the lake via a 20 rod portage trail from Hogback Lake. Shore anglers can use the hiking trails maintained by the US Forest Service that surround the lake to access shore fishing spots that include two remote campsites. The lake is managed for Rainbow Trout and the current plan calls for 1,000 catchable sized yearling fish to be stocked annually in the spring. The 2021 fisheries survey captured 11 Rainbow Trout that ranged from 12.2 to 14.6 inches in length with an average weight of 0.90 pounds. All fish were from the 2021 spring stocking event and appeared to be in good condition at the time of the survey. The size of trout sampled indicates fish grew well after being stocked in the spring at an average weight of 0.34 pounds per fish. Although no older fish were captured, survival could not be evaluated because no fish were stocked in 2020 due to pandemic work restrictions. Historic survey data from the lake suggests enough trout survive from year to year to provide a trophy component to the fishery.

Scarp Lake is a designated stream trout lake that is stocked annually with yearling Rainbow Trout. A survey was completed in 2021 to monitor the amount of cool, well oxygenated habitat available for trout during the summer. Automated temperature loggers were suspended at depths of three, six, nine, and twelve feet below the surface over the deepest spot in the lake to record water temperatures hourly throughout the summer. In addition, temperature and dissolved oxygen profiles were collected on several occasions to determine how deep well-oxygenated water occurred. Survey results indicate summer dissolved oxygen concentrations and water temperatures were not limiting factors in Scarp Lake in 2021. Limited data collected to date suggests periods of stress are common in summer months, but the lake currently maintains suitable habitat for stream trout to survive throughout the open water season. Habitat conditions will continue to be monitored to evaluate the suitability of Scarp Lake for stream trout management.

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

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

Scarp has a maximum depth of 15 feet and a mean depth of 9.2 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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