Little Alden

Little Alden is a 81 acre lake with 56 (69%) acres of littoral area and a maximum depth of 29 feet. Little Alden Lake is located 14 miles northeast of Duluth off St. Louis County Highway #44. Little Alden does not have a developed public access along the shoreline but can be accessed by canoe through the Cloquet River. Primary management species is walleye with secondary management for black crappie and bluegill. Walleye abundance of 2.5 per gillnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length of walleye samped in 2001 was 13.6 inches. Growth was slow with length at age four of 12.8 inches. Analysis of age distribution revealed a strong 1998 year class and seven year classes represented from 1990 through 1999. Northern pike abundance of 3.3 per gillnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Northern pike mean length of 19.6 inches was small. Growth was average with length at age four of 20.7 inches. Analysis of age distribution revealed a strong 1999 year class and all but one year class represented from 1994 through 1999. Yellow perch abundance of 2.0 per gillnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Yellow perch mean length of 6.5 inches was small. Growth was average with length at age four of 6.1 inches. Analysis of age distribution revealed three year classes present from 1997 through 1999. White sucker abundance of 11.5 per gillnet lift was above average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length of white sucker was 16.4 inches. Black crappie abundance of 0.9 per trapnet lift was below average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length of sampled black crappie was 10.0 inches. Growth was average with length at age four of 8.1 inches. Analysis of age distribution revealed four year classes represented from 1994 through 1998. Bluegill abundance of 4.9 per trapnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length of 6.1 inches was large. Growth was average with length at age four of 5.3 inches. Analysis of age distribution revealed a strong 1997 year class and seven year classes represented from 1991 through 1999. A largemouth bass and smallmouth bass electrofishing assessment was conducted in the spring of 2001. No bass were sampled during the assessment. Other fish species sampled in Little Alden Lake include common shiner, log perch, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, shorthead redhorse and smallmouth bass. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass were sampled as young-of-the-year in a shoreline seine. Due to limited public access on little Alden Lake, fishing pressure is considered light. Future management will be limited by its low fisheries management priority rating.

Little Alden is a small, lightly stained lake directly connected to Cloquet River and located 20 miles north of Duluth, Minnesota. The fish community reflects the river connection with the presence of shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass (1991) and channel catfish (1991) as well as the typical lake species. The 1997 walleye abundance has decreased from a high catch rate recorded in 1973, yet remained near the average catch rate for other lakes similar to Little Alden. Average length was 13.0 inches with a range from 7.7 to 25.2 inches. Growth was slow compared to local averages. Northern pike also exhibited slow growth with the average sampled pike only 15.6 inches with a range from 8.9 to 27.6 inches. Numbers of northern pike have increased, however were about average when compared to similar lakes. Bluegill have shown a similar increasing abundance trend with the 1997 catch near the lake class average. Black crappie also have increased in number although they were below lake class medians. Average lengths were 6.1 inches for bluegill and 7.2 inches for black crappie. Growth rates for both species were typical of the local medians. Other species captured in 1997 were: rock bass, pumpkinseed, shorthead redhorse and white sucker. Previous investigations also reported the presence of smallmouth and largemouth bass as well as channel catfish.

NOP POPULATION IS BELOW THE LOCAL MEDIAN AND GROWTH IS NEAR NORMAL. BLG NUMBERS ARE ABOVE LOCAL MEDIANS WITH NORMAL GROWTH FOR THIS AREA. YEP NUMBERS ARE WELL ABOVE THE THIRD QUARTILE FOR LAKE CLASS 13 WITH AVERAGE GROWTH RATES. WAE ARE WITHIN ACCEPTABLE PARAMETERS, HOWEVER, GROWTH RATES ARE SLOW. WHILE THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT 1986 WAE FINGERLING STOCKING WAS SUCCESSFUL, NATURAL REPRODUCTION APPEARS TO CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE POPULATION. LMB AND SMB, CCF, AND BLC ARE ALSO PRESENT, REPRESENTING A WELL BALANCED FISHERY.

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

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

Little Alden has a maximum depth of 29 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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