Bass

Bass Lake is a 169 acre lake located entirely within the Superior National Forest three miles north of Ely. There is zero development, and the entire shoreline is publicly owned. Like Armstrong, Low, and Mud it is a moderately deep and relatively productive panfish lake. Access is by a half mile portage from the Bass Lake Trail parking lot off the Echo Trail, a 50 rod portage from Low Lake, or a 25 rod portage to Dry Lake. The Bass Lake hiking trail wraps around the lake but has few sites suitable for shore fishing. A boat with portage wheels can be rolled on the portages from Low and the parking lot. The portage from Low terminates in a beaver pond which may be too shallow to reach Bass if water levels are down. The lake was stratified on 06/12/23 with a surface temp of 69.6 F and a bottom temperature of 41.2 F. Oxygen sufficient for fish was present to 33 feet where the water temp was 41.2 F. Secchi visibility was 11 feet and the water was clear. Maximum depth is 36 feet. Fish sampling during the 2023 standard survey consisted of 3 gill nets and 9 trap nets. Gill net and trap net catches were dominated by northern pike and bluegill, respectively. Black crappie were sampled in moderate numbers. Largemouth and smallmouth bass, white sucker, and yellow perch were also present in the catch. Northern abundance (11.3/net) was above average for Bass Lake and similar lake in the Tower area. Sizes were above average and ranged from 14 to almost 39 inches with an average of 25 inches. Northern pike longer than 30 inches represented over a third of the catch. Condition of the fish was excellent, and their diets reflected the abundance of small panfish present. Bluegill abundance (36.4/net) was below average for Bass Lake but high for the area. Lengths ranged from 3.5 to 9 inches with an average of 6 inches. Bluegill larger than 8 inches represented about 6% of the catch. Bluegill ages ranged from 2 to 10 years and growth was slightly above average. Natural reproduction is consistent with no standout year classes. Black crappie abundance (5.1/net) was below average for Bass Lake but good for the area. Lengths ranged from 4 to just under 11 inches with and average length of 7.5 inches. Black crappie larger than 10 inches represented 4% of the catch. Crappie ages ranged from 2 to 12 years with no missing year classes. Natural reproduction appears consistent, and growth was average. Smallmouth and largemouth bass were sampled in 2023. Smallmouth lengths from gill nets ranged from 10 to 18 inches with a mean of 14.5 inches. Largemouth bass were sampled with both gears in modest abundance. Lengths ranged from 5 to 17 inches. Both species are likely more abundant than net catches suggest.

Bass Lake is located approximately 4 miles N of Ely in the Superior National Forest. The landscape surrounding Bass Lake is characterized by a forest of abundant pine growing over coarse soils with ledgerock outcrops. The most common access is a 270 rod portage from the parking lot at the Echo Trail (CR116) to the SW end of the lake. A popular hiking trail that goes around Bass Lake is located off this portage and visitors often take this path to the scenic waterfall that flows over the ledgerock from Dry Lake. During the winter months there is a popular snowmobile trail system that goes through Bass Lake to other nearby lakes and trails. There are 2 campsites located on the N side of the lake and another one on the island for overnight use. Small bluegill were abundant in the 2016 survey of Bass Lake. Bluegill numbers (50.4/trap net) were similar to the historic average for this lake and much higher than average (7.5/trap net) compared to other similar lakes in the area. The average bluegill sampled was 5.5 inches long and the largest was 8.6 inches. Only 2 percent of the bluegill sampled were 8 inches or larger. Black crappie numbers in 2016 (5.6/trap net) were lower than the historic average (7.8/trap net). The average crappie sampled was 8.6 inches and the largest crappie was 10.4 inches long. Only 4 percent of the crappie sampled were larger than 10 inches. In past surveys of Bass Lake the largest crappie recorded was 11.0 inches. Northern pike numbers in 2016 (5.8/gill net) were similar to the historic average on this lake. The average pike sampled was 25.9 inches long and the largest was 43.7 inches. Thirty percent of the pike sampled in 2016 were 30 inches and larger. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass were sampled in 2016. While their relative abundance is average some good sized bass are present. The largest bass caught were a 13 year-old smallmouth that was over 18 inches long and 12 year old largemouth that was over 16 inches long. Yellow perch, rock bass and white sucker were also sampled in 2016.

Bass Lake is in Ecological Lake Class 5, which consists of 64 lakes in northeast Minnesota that are average in size and have clear and soft (unmineralized) water. Bass Lake is smaller than most of the lakes in this lake class. Bass Lake ranks between mesotrophic and oligotrophic according to Carlson's Trophic State Index. Bass Lake was thermally stratified on 06/05/2007 with a surface temperature of 64 F and a bottom temperature of 43 F. Adequate oxygen for fish (more than 2 ppm) was retained to a depth of 24 ft, where the temperature was 44 F. There are inlets from Dry Lake and Little Long Lake, each of which has barriers (rapids and falls) to upstream fish movement. A beaver dam and low flow in the outlet to Low Lake results in periodic barriers to fish movement. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline are dominated by sand, gravel, boulder, and rubble. Aquatic plants are sparse and grow to a depth of 10 ft with concentrations along the north and east shore; Robbin's pondweed, narrowleaf pondweeds and water milfoil are the most common plants. Bass Lake is completely surrounded by U.S. Forest Service lands. Access is by portages from the Echo Trail (Co. 116), from Dry Lake, and from Low Lake. There are two Forest Service campsites on Bass Lake. Fish sampling in the 2007 fisheries lake survey was done with four gillnets and eight standard trapnets (nine trapnets were set, but one was molested and no data was collected from it). Small fish were collected with four small mesh (1/4" bar mesh) trapnets. Three previous fisheries investigations on Bass Lake, dating back to 1974, used 3-4 gillnets and 4-9 standard trapnets. The total catch of fish (all species combined) in the gillnets in 2007 of 31 fish/net (41 lb/net) was in the third quartile for this lake class and was similar to the median total catch of 37 fish/net (46 lb/net) in all investigations on this lake. Lake class 5 is one of the most productive lake classes in northeast Minnesota, in terms of catches of fish in gillnets. The gillnet catch in 2007 was dominated by northern pike, white sucker, black crappie, and yellow perch. The total catch of fish in the trapnets in 2007 of 76 fish/net (23 lb/net) was similar to the median total catch of 69 fish/net (19 lb/net) in all investigations on this lake. The trapnet catch in 2007 was dominated by bluegill sunfish, black crappie, and northern pike. Northern pike numbers in 2007 (4.2/gillnet) were in the third quartile for this lake class and were lower than the median pike catch of 7.7/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Pike sizes in 2007 averaged 24.0" (3.8 lb), which was in the fourth quartile for this lake class and was larger than the average size of 21.8" in all investigations on this lake. The largest pike in 2007 was 33.4". Pike growth was slower than normal by area standards. Bluegill numbers in 2007 (65/trapnet) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class and were higher than the median bluegill catch of 52/trapnet in all investigations on this lake. Bluegill sizes in 2007 averaged 6.7" (0.26 lb), which was in the third quartile for this lake class and was similar to the average size of 6.4" in all investigations on this lake. Six percent of the bluegill were 8" or larger, and the largest was 9.0". Most bluegill (78 percent) were age five and six. Bluegill growth was somewhat slower than normal by area standards. Black crappie numbers in 2007 (7.8/trapnet, 9.0/gillnet) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class and were similar to the median crappie catches of 8.9/trapnet and 9.4/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Crappie sizes in 2007 averaged 8.6" (0.35 lb) in the trapnets and 7.5" (0.25 lb) in the gillnets, both of which were normal for this lake class. The largest crappie in 2007 was 10.3". Most crappie (69 percent) were age six. Crappie growth was slower than normal by area standards. Perch numbers in 2007 (6.0/gillnet) were near the median for this lake class and were similar to the median perch catch of 6.5/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Perch sizes in 2007 averaged 6.4" (0.1 lb), which was in the first quartile for this lake class and was similar to the average perch size of 6.3" in all investigations on this lake. The largest perch was 7.6". Perch growth was normal by area standards. Smallmouth and largemouth bass may be more abundant in Bass Lake than indicated by trapnet and gillnet catches. Bass are "net-shy" and tend to avoid standard sampling nets. Walleye numbers were low. Some good-sized smallmouth bass (18") and walleye (22") were captured in 2007. Neascus was found on only a few of the game fish examined in 2007. Some of the bass had bass tapeworm larvae in their viscera. Neascus and bass tapeworm are common parasites that are native to the area. They cannot infect humans, are often removed when filleting fish, and are killed at temperatures used to cook fish.

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

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

Bass has a maximum depth of 36 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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