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MN Fish Finder

Unnamed

Lake County
Near Ely
DOW: 38063400
SplakeExcellent · 96Brook TroutPoor · 18Rainbow TroutPoor · 12

A 22-acre lake near Ely in Lake County — best known for trout. Last surveyed 2023.

Fish Species (3)

Splake

Excellent · 96

Above-normal numbers · large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Oct 2023

Avg Size
15.8"
Avg Weight
1.46 lbs

Catch rate: 16.5 per gill net

Size of catchable splake64% keeper-size (16"+)
10–15" · 36%Largest sampled 19"
Survey History
DateCatch RateAvg LengthAvg Weight
Oct 18, 202316.5015.8"1.46 lbs
May 30, 20179.3311.7"0.94 lbs
May 21, 20144.0013.3"1.46 lbs

Brook Trout

Poor · 18

Below-normal numbers

Gill-net survey · surveyed May 2014

Last surveyed 2014 — treat with caution

Avg Size
9.0"
Avg Weight
0.49 lbs

Catch rate: 0.75 per gill net

Survey History
DateCatch RateAvg LengthAvg Weight
May 21, 20140.759.0"0.49 lbs
May 30, 20064.0011.8"1.21 lbs
May 29, 20031.006.0"0.10 lbs

Rainbow Trout

Poor · 12

Below-normal numbers

Gill-net survey · surveyed May 2014

Last surveyed 2014 — treat with caution

Avg Size
24.0"
Avg Weight
5.86 lbs

Catch rate: 0.25 per gill net

Survey History
DateCatch RateAvg LengthAvg Weight
May 21, 20140.2524.0"5.86 lbs
May 31, 20111.007.0"0.17 lbs
Jun 19, 19860.25-4.00 lbs

Biologist Notes

October 18, 2023Ennis is a 22 acre designated stream trout lake located 17 miles northeast of Ely in the Superior National Forest. High cliffs, abundant pine, and cle…

Ennis is a 22 acre designated stream trout lake located 17 miles northeast of Ely in the Superior National Forest. High cliffs, abundant pine, and clear water define the lake. The lake is entirely within public land and completely undeveloped. It is quite a scenic trout fishing destination. Maximum depth is 42 feet and aquatic vegetation is sparse. The Secret-Blackstone hiking trail has a spur to the north shore of Ennis that entails 1.5 miles of rugged terrain. Several spots suitable for shore fishing are accessible from this trail, but it is not a recommended portage. A winter trail leading to Ennis exists off the Moose Lake Road and can be navigated with some difficulty with a canoe during the open water season. The portage ends near a beaver lodge after a hundred yards of bog travel. There is a second, shorter portage leading to the beaver pond connected to the Ennis outlet. A canoe must be paddled and pulled along the shoreline fringe to access open water. The 2023 standard survey consisted of two experimental gill net sets. Splake were the only species captured. Abundance at 16.5/net was the highest on record for Ennis. The average splake sampled was 16 inches long, and sizes ranged from 12 to just over 19 inches. Fish from at least three years appeared present in the catch. Condition of the splake were excellent and stomach contents indicated an array of forage options. Minnows, leeches, crayfish and an assortment of invertebrates were present in trout diets.

May 30, 2017Ennis Lake is located approximately 17 miles NE of Ely within the Superior National Forest. This semi-remote stream trout lake has high, pine covered…

Ennis Lake is located approximately 17 miles NE of Ely within the Superior National Forest. This semi-remote stream trout lake has high, pine covered hills surrounding it's shores. Ennis is a popular lake for winter anglers looking to catch the splake that swim its waters. There are two options for public access. The most used option is by a 0.3 mile portage from the Moose Lake Road into an unnamed lake, then a short portage into a beaver pond near the outlet of Ennis Lake. The total distance of this route is approximately 0.7 miles. This particular route is better suited for winter travel although a canoe can be portaged in following this route. The second option would be to navigate the Secret-Blackstone hiking trail for an opportunity to fish Ennis Lake from shore. Portaging a canoe on this route would not be recommended. There is one USFS campsite located on the N side. Fish sampling during the 2017 survey of Ennis Lake consisted of 3 gill nets. Splake was the only species sampled in the nets. Splake and brook trout fingerlings are currently being stocked alternately on an annual basis. Stocking is done by floatplane usually in October. Splake numbers in 2017 (9.3/gill net) were above the historic average (6.9/gill net) for Ennis Lake. The average splake sampled was 12.2 inches long which is smaller than the historic average length of 15.1 inches. Splake lengths ranged from 6.9 inches up to a maximum of 23.3 inches. Splake were feeding on a variety of aquatic invertebrates and some small fish remains (likely minnows) were also observed.

May 21, 2014Ennis Lake is a 22 acre lake located entirely within the Superior National Forest. The shortest access is by walking a portage off the Moose Lake Road…

Ennis Lake is a 22 acre lake located entirely within the Superior National Forest. The shortest access is by walking a portage off the Moose Lake Road to a small pond. After crossing the pond there is a short portage that ends over a stretch of wet bog at an area of Ennis Lake backwater. East of the backwater is the outlet of Ennis Lake, which has a small beaver dam on it. The lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet and clear water. Brook trout and splake are currently being stocked on an every other year basis. The last time rainbow trout were scheduled to be stocked was 1982 but strong evidence suggests that a load of rainbows destined for nearby Judd Lake, were accidentally dropped in Ennis in the fall of 2010. The total catch of all trout by weight for this assessment was 7.7 pounds/gill net which is better than half of all stream trout lakes in the Tower work area but the lowest catch rate over the past four assessments. Note that trout abundance is expressed in terms of biomass (lb/net) rather than number/net to reduce the influence of occasional high catches of just-stocked fingerlings. The catch of splake by weight in this assessment was 5.9 lbs/gill net. Lengths ranged from 7 to 21 inches with an average of 14 inches. The average fish weighed 1.5 pounds. There were two distinct groupings of lengths for splake, fish that ranged from 7 to 9 inches and fish that ranged from 16 to 21 inches. The group of small fish was likely from the 2013 stocked class while the rest were likely stocked in 2011 or earlier. Only three brook trout were sampled in this assessment for a catch rate of 0.4 pounds/gill net. Lengths ranged from 8 to 13 inches with an average of 10 inches. The maximum length is somewhat disappointing considering 5 of the past 7 assessments produced fish with maximum lengths of 15 inches or larger (the largest being 24 inches caught in 1996). All brook trout sampled were likely stocked in the fall of 2012. The rogue rainbow trout that was sampled was likely a kamloop from the accidental stocking in 2010. It was a 24 inch male that weighed 6 pounds. This would indicate fairly good growth from an age-4 fish and possibly a nice bonus fish for potential anglers of the lake. Stomach content analyses indicated fish were feeding mostly on a variety of baitfish and various aquatic inverts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish can you catch in Unnamed?

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

Is there public access at Unnamed?

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Unnamed. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

How deep is Unnamed?

Unnamed has a maximum depth of 42 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

When were the main sport fish in Unnamed last surveyed?

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Unnamed is from 2023.

Does Unnamed have any invasive species?

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

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Lake Details

Surface Area
21.68 acres
Max Depth
42 ft
Shoreline
1.05 mi
Public Access
Not confirmed
View on DNR LakeFinder

Location

47.9749°N, 91.4937°W

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