Hobo

Hobo Lake is 74 acres in size and is four miles north of Ely. You can reach the lake via a 1.1-mile portage from the Echo Trail (CR 116). The lake is 15 feet deep, and the water is moderately brown bog stained. The entire shoreline is publicly owned and most of the shoreline is forested and rocky. Lake bottom substrates are predominantly boulder and ledge rock, and vegetation is concentrated in the bays on the east and west ends of the lake. The 2012 lake management plan listed Black Crappie and Bluegill as the primary management species and Northern Pike as a secondary management species. Largemouth bass are also a regular fish in the lake. The Tower fisheries crew conducted a standard lake survey in early July 2023 to update information on the fishery and to check for newly invasive species. Although the primary management species are best sampled with trap nets, this survey included only gill nets due to the difficulty of hauling in traps nets along the portage. The survey crew measured water temperature and oxygen during the survey in early summer, and the lake was thermally stratified, with a surface temperature of 73 F and a bottom temperature of 54 F. Oxygen levels were adequate for gamefish to a depth of around 10 feet. Gill-net catches for Black crappie were slightly higher than the historical median for the lake. As in previous surveys, the crappie were relatively small, averaging just 7.6 inches in length which is identical to the historical average for the lake. The largest crappie sampled was 10.1 inches long. Gill-net catches of Bluegill were also higher than the median for all assessments in the lake. Bluegill averaged just 6.6 inches in length, which was slightly lower than the lake's historical average of 7.1 inches. However, over 25% of the bluegill sampled were over 8.0 inches, with the largest measuring 8.7 inches in length. Five largemouth bass were captured in 2023 at a rate that was second highest ever for the lake. Bass were 12.8 inches on average, which was longer than the historic average of 10.7 inches. Over half of the bass sampled were larger than 13.5 inches. The largest bass was 19.1 inches long, which was also the largest ever captured in a survey of Hobo Lake. Gill-net catches of northern pike were also slightly higher than previous surveys of the lake and other similar lakes in the Tower area. Pike were 24.2 inches long on average, which was in line with average size of pike captured in all surveys on this lake. Additionally, the largest pike sampled in 2023 was 35.8 inches long, the largest ever captured in a survey on Hobo Lake. Yellow perch and white sucker were also sampled in gill nets. Yellow perch were sampled at a rate of 1.0 fish/net, and white sucker were sampled at a rate of 0.3 fish/net. Yellow perch averaged 6.3 inches in length.

Status of the Fishery Hobo Lake is located approximately 4 miles north of Ely, MN. The fish community is dominated by panfish and northern pike. It has a surface area of 74 acres and a maximum depth of 15 ft. Hobo was thermally stratified on 06/27/2011. The surface temperature was 66 F and the bottom temperature was 59 F. Water clarity is low with a brown , bog stained color. Access is by a 1.25 mile portage from the Echo Trail(CR 116). There are no designated campsites on the lake. Several cabins are present. Black crappie numbers in 2011 (6.0/gill net) were similar to the long term average for all assessments on this lake. The average crappie sampled was 7.5" long and approximately four years old. The growth rate was similar compared to other lakes in this class. The largest crappie sampled was 10.4". Northern pike numbers in 2011 (6.3/gill net) were higher than the long term average for all assessments on this lake. The average pike sampled was 20.8" long and approximately six years old. The growth rate was slower than average compared to other lakes in this class. The largest pike sampled was 24.9". Bluegill, yellow perch, and white sucker were also sampled. Bluegill sizes averaged 7.2" and yellow perch sizes averaged 6.2". Largemouth bass are present and were not sampled.

Hobo Lake is in Ecological Lake Class 12, which consists of 90 lakes in northeast Minnesota that are small, shallow, have irregular shoreline shapes, and have very soft (unmineralized) water. Hobo lake is typical of lakes in this lake class except that it is smaller (74 acres) than the lake class average of 182 acres.Hobo Lake was not thermally stratified on 07/30/2001 and retained 6 ppm oxygen to within a foot of the bottom. Several small inlets drain local lowlands. The outlet, to Low Lake, has a beaver dam which limits fish movement. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline are 82% boulder, 6% ledgerock, 5% muck, 3% sand, 2% rubble, and 2% gravel. Aquatic plants are sparse and grow to a depth of 10 ft, with concentrations in the east and west bays. Nuttall's pondweed, water marigold, water milfoil, and yellow waterlilies are the most common plants.Fish sampling in the 2001 fish population assessment consisted of two gillnet sets. Four previous investigations, dating back to 1977, used four gillnet sets. Trapnets have not been used on this lake due to the difficult portage access.The total catch of fish (all species combined) in the gillnets in 2001 of 28.5 fish/net (28.5 lb/net) was near the median for this lake class and was higher than the median catch of 25.6 fish/net (17.9 lb/net) in all investigations on this lake. More large northern pike were caught in 2001 than in previous investigations. Lake Class 12 is one of the most productive lake classes in northeast Minnesota, in terms of gillnet catches of fish.Northern pike numbers in 2001 (4.0/gillnet) were at the median for this lake class, but were higher than the median catch of 2.2/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Pike sizes in 2001 averaged 27.0" (4.8 lb), which was in the fourth quartile for this lake class and was larger than the average size of 24.6" in all investigations on this lake. The largest pike captured in 2001 was 31.7". Pike scales were difficult to read and only eight were caught, but pike captured in 2001 appeared to be ages 3 and 5-8. Pike growth appeared to be faster than normal for younger fish and normal for older fish, when compared to area standards.Yellow perch numbers in 2001 (10.5/gillnet) were in the third quartile for this lake class. Perch numbers in this lake have varied from 0.8/gillnet in 1990 to 59/gillnet in 1977. Perch sizes in 2001 averaged 6.5" (0.1 lb), which was in the first quartile for this lake class and was identical to the average size of 6.5" in all investigations on this lake. The largest perch captured in 2001 was 7.8". Perch scales were difficult to read, but all perch appeared to be ages 3-6 and perch growth appeared to be somewhat slower than normal by area standards.Black crappie numbers in 2001 (9.0/gillnet) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class. Crappie numbers in this lake have ranged from 1.5/gillnet in 1990 to 25.8/gillnet in 1977. Crappie sizes in 2001 averaged 8.2" (0.3 lb), which was in the third quartile for this lake class and was larger than the average size of 7.6" in all investigations on this lake. The largest crappie captured in 2001 was 10.4". Crappie ages were 1-5, but most were age 3. Crappie growth was faster than normal by area standards.Bluegill numbers in 2001 (2.5/gillnet) were similar to catches in previous investigations. Bluegill may be more abundant than indicated by gillnet catches. Bluegill sizes in 2001 averaged 6.0", which was smaller than the average size of 7.1" in all investigations on this lake. The largest bluegill in 2001 was 7.4". Bluegill growth was normal by area standards.One largemouth bass was captured in 2001. Low numbers of largemouth were present in previous investigations as well, but they may be more abundant than indicated by gillnet catches. White sucker numbers in 2001 (1.5/gillnet) were in the first quartile for this lake class. Sucker numbers have declined over time in this lake, from a high of 9.8/gillnet in 1977.One large (23.8") walleye was captured in 2001. Walleye were not present in Hobo Lake until they were stocked from 1978 through 1983. Walleye numbers never became high enough to justify continued stocking.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Walleye in Hobo. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Hobo has a maximum depth of 15 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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