Ogishkemuncie

Ogishkemuncie Lake is located within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) within the Superior National Forest and is a non-motorized lake. It is approximately 40 miles northeast of Ely. There are six portage accesses from other nearby lakes. Ogish is 762 acres with a maximum depth of 75 feet and clear water. Ogishkemuncie has several inlets and two outlets. The main river system running through it is the Seagull River which enters on the south side of the west basin and exits to the northeast out of the north basin. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline are mostly boulder and ledge rock. Aquatic plants are sparse and grow to a depth of 8 ft. There are thirteen campsites on the lake. The surrounding landscape of Ogishkemuncie was drastically changed in the summer of 2006 when the Cavity Lake Fire burned nearly the entire shoreline of the northeast basin. The fire started as a lightning strike about two miles east of Ogish in mid-July. The fire edge reached the shore of Ogish a few days later. Ten years after, the two basins are still strikingly different. The southwest basins shoreline is rimmed with tall pines, cedar, and balsam fir. The northeast basin is still recovering with large areas of bare rock and remnant charred logs. Some areas have filled in with hazel, mountain maple, and dogwood. It will still be many years before the northeast basin is fully revegetated. Both basins of Ogish were well oxygenated for gamefish to a depth of 55 - 65 feet. The north basin had suitable oxygen for lake trout to a depth of about 28 feet; the south basin to about 40 feet. This survey consisted of nine shallow water and nine deep water gillnet sets. Fish species sampled in shallow gill nets were lake whitefish, walleye, northern pike, white sucker, and lake trout. The two species sampled in deep water gill nets were lake whitefish and lake trout. The shallow gillnet walleye catch rate was 8.4 fish/net which was very good compared to other similar lakes. This was the highest walleye catch rate of record for the lake. Walleye lengths ranged from 7 to 29 inches with an average of 15 inches. Average weight per fish was nearly a pound and a half. Growth rates were average compared to other walleye populations in the Tower area. Ages ranged from 1 to 14 with the bulk of the catch coming from the 2011, 2012 and 2013 year classes. The northern pike shallow water gillnet catch was 1.6 fish/net which was better than average compared to other similar lakes. Lengths ranged from 15 to 31 inches with an average of 19 inches and an average weight of just under two pounds. Sizes were similar to fish from previous surveys. Five lake trout were sampled in deep water gillnets for a catch rate of 0.6 fish/net which was the best catch rate on record for Ogishkemuncie. This catch rate was below average however, compared to other investigations of lake trout populations in the Tower area. Lengths ranged from 8 to 21 inches. The average weight was just over a pound. Ages ranged from 1 to 10 years. Whitefish catch was 7.1 fish/net in deep water nets and 9.4 fish/net in shallow water nets. These catch rates were similar to previous surveys from Ogish and both catch rates were better than most other lakes with whitefish populations in the Tower area. Lengths ranged from 8 to 23 inches with an average of 19 inches which was very good. The average weight was nearly two and a half pounds. Ages ranged from 1 to 33 years. White sucker were also sampled and smallmouth bass were observed in the shallows. Burbot, and yellow perch were in stomachs of some of the sampled fish and had all been previously sampled in other surveys on Ogishkemuncie. Most of the pike and a few of the walleye had had light neascus (black spot) infestations.

Ogishkemuncie Lake is in Ecological Lake Class 3, which consists of 72 lakes in northeast Minnesota that are very deep and have irregular shoreline shapes, and have very clear and soft (unmineralized) water. Ogishkemuncie Lake is larger than most of the lakes in this lake class.Ogishkemuncie Lake was thermally stratified on 09/10/2001 and retained 5 ppm oxygen to a depth of about 48 ft, where the temperature was about 44 F, and retained 2 ppm oxygen to about 65 ft, where the temperature was about 43 F. The deep northeastern portion of the lake had somewhat better oxygen at depth than the deep southwestern portion.Several inlets drain small lakes surrounding Ogishkemuncie Lake. The outlet is to Jasper Lake. Bottom substrates along the shoreline are mostly rock and boulder. Aquatic plants are sparse and grow to a depth of 8 ft. Ogishkemuncie Lake is in a no-motor portion of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. There are eleven campsites on the lake.Fish sampling in the 2001 population assessment consisted of four shallow gillnets (set in water above 55 F, in depths of 8' to 21') and eight deep gillnets (set in water below 55 F, in depths of 40' to 65'). Three previous investigations, dating back to 1972, consisted of 12 deep gillnets. A small portion of the gillnets in 1972 were set shallower, in water warmer than 55 F, but the catch was dominated by lake whitefish. Trapnets have not been used on Ogishkemuncie due to the difficult portage access.Shallow water fish populations in 2001 were dominated by walleye, followed by northern pike and white sucker. Smallmouth bass may also be present, as one was caught in the 1978 investigation.Walleye numbers in 2001 (6.0/shallow gillnet) were fairly high. Walleye sizes averaged 15.1"; the largest (caught in a deep gillnet) was 25.7". Walleye were present from eight year classes, indicating good natural reproduction. Growth of young walleye was slower than normal by area standards, while growth of older walleye was normal.Northern pike sizes in 2001 averaged 19.7"; the largest was 21.8". Pike scales were very difficult to read, but growth of age two and three pike appeared to be faster than normal by area standards.Deep water fish populations in 2001 were dominated by lake whitefish. Whitefish numbers (8.4/deep gillnet) were similar to the average catch of 7.9/deep gillnet in previous investigations on this lake. Whitefish sizes in 2001 averaged 19.6", which was larger than the average size of 18.6" in previous investigations on this lake.Lake trout numbers in 2001 (0.2/deep gillnet) were the same as the average catch of 0.2/deep gillnet in previous investigations on this lake. The two trout captured in 2001, each 21", were 10 and 11 years old. Their growth was slower than the median growth of 26.9" at age 10 and 23.5" at age 11 in seven lake trout lakes in the Tower Fisheries Management Area.

Whitefish and walleye are present in average numbers; lake trout are present in below average num- bers. Burbot are also present. Survival of stocked lake trout and natural reproduction appear to be poor. Walleye year class strengths are erratic, and growth rate is average. Whitefish in this lake are very large (mean length = 18.9

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

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

Ogishkemuncie has a maximum depth of 75 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Ogishkemuncie is from 2001. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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