Crosscut

Crosscut Lake is a designated trout lake located five miles east of Isabella that is about eleven acres in size with a maximum depth of sixteen feet. Access to the lake is gained by taking US Forest Service 172D south from Wanless Road (USFS 172) and left at the Tomahawk snowmobile trail approximately 500 yard to a short foot path down a steep slope to the lake. Shore fishing is limited near the access, although anglers occasionally access other shore fishing areas from the snowmobile trail along the west side of the lake. No trout were caught during the 2025 survey. However, the lake is stocked with catchable sized yearling Brook Trout each spring. Temperature and oxygen monitoring confirm the lake has sufficient habitat to support trout through the summer during most seasons.

Crosscut Lake is a designated trout lake located five miles east of Isabella that is about 11 acres in size with a maximum depth of 16 feet. Access to the lake is gained by taking Forest Service 172D south from the Wanless Road (FS 172) and left at the Tomahawk snowmobile trail approximately 500 yard to a short foot path down a steep slope to the lake. Shore fishing is limited near the access, although anglers occasionally access other shore fishing areas from the snowmobile trail along the west side of the lake. The catch from the 2021 fisheries survey consisted of all fish that had been stocked in the spring. Size of trout ranged from 11.2 to 13.4" with an average of about 0.71 pounds. These fish likely grew a small amount while in the lake as the fish stocked in the spring averaged about 0.57 pounds. The lake is managed for Brook Trout and the current plan calls for catchable sized yearling fish to be stocking annually in the spring. Habitat in the lake is sufficient to support trout through the summer season consistently, but few fish survive the winter. Therefore, the size structure of trout available to anglers during the summer is highly influence by the size of the fish stocked in the spring. The target rate for Brook Trout yearling stocking is about 0.33 pounds per fish, although larger or smaller fish are occasionally produced and distributed.

Crosscut Lake is a designated stream trout lake that is stocked annually with yearling Brook Trout. A survey was completed in 2020 to monitor the amount of cool, well oxygenated habitat available for trout during the summer. Automated temperature loggers were suspended at depths of two, four, six, and eight 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 indicated summer dissolved oxygen concentrations and water temperatures were not limiting factors in Crosscut Lake in 2020. Similar surveys completed in 2015 and 2016 suggest periods of stress are common 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 Crosscut Lake for stream trout management.

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

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

Crosscut has a maximum depth of 16 feet and a mean depth of 7 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Crosscut is from 2021.

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