Twin

Twin Lake is a 224 acre lake located 6 miles southwest of Ely. The main access is a concrete ramp at the end of the West Boundary Rd. This lake has a maximum depth of 51 feet and clear water. On June 14, 2021 two water quality profiles were taken on Twin Lake, one on each basin. Both basins showed thermal stratification. The western most basin had a surface temperature of 72 F and a bottom temperature of 41 F. Dissolved oxygen levels were adequate for gamefish to a depth of 37 feet. The eastern basin overall is much shallower with a maximum depth of 18 feet. The surface temperature was 72 F and the bottom was 58 F. Dissolved oxygen levels were adequate for gamefish throughout the water column. Three small inlets drain local wetlands. The outlet flows out the east end to Mitchell Lake. Beaver dams and marshy areas likely limit fish movement. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline of Twin Lake are mostly gravel, rubble, and boulder. Aquatic plants grow to a depth of 10 feet and are fairly common in most of the bays. The overall gillnet catch rate for all fish combined was 42.7 fish/net (the highest on record for the lake) and yield was 49.3 lbs/net. Fish species sampled were black crappie, bluegill, northern pike, white sucker, yellow perch, largemouth bass, and walleye. Trap nets caught fish at an overall rate of 76.7 fish/net and yield was 19.5 lbs/net. The only additional species sampled in trap nets that weren't also caught in gill nets were golden shiner. The northern pike gillnet catch was 8.5 fish/net which was the lowest catch rate for Twin Lake since the initial survey in 1964. It was however good compared to other similar lakes. Lengths ranged from 15 to nearly 40 inches with an average of just over 23 inches. Mean weight was quite good at three pounds per fish. Electrofishing was used for the second time on Twin Lake for largemouth bass sampling. One hundred fifty-eight largemouth were captured for a catch rate of 79.0 fish/hour. This was good compared to other similar lakes. Lengths ranged from 2 to 18 inches with an average of nearly 10 inches. Growth rates were slightly slower than the area average with the typical Twin Lake largemouth measuring just over 12 inches at six years old. The black crappie trapnet catch was 6.3 fish/net which was above average compared to other similar lakes and better than the only other survey that sampled crappie on Twin Lake (2.9 fish/net in 2016). Sizes were small with lengths ranging from 4 to nearly 10 inches and an average of just over 7 inches. Ages ranged from 2 to 7. Growth rates were very slow compared to other crappie lakes in the area. The average length at four years old was 6 inches. The bluegill trapnet catch in 2021 was 63.9 fish/net which was very good compared to other similar lakes. This was only the second survey to sample bluegill from Twin. They were first sampled in 2016 at a rate of 34.6 fish/net. Sizes continued to be small with a range from 3 to nearly 9 inches and an average of 5 inches. Sizes were disappointing with only three of the 574 bluegill measuring larger than 8 inches. Ages ranged from 3 to 11 years. Similar to crappie, growth was very slow with the average fish taking 8 years to reach 6 inches long. The yellow perch catch rate was 6.8 fish/gill net which was just above average compared to other similar lakes and the best catch rate on record for Twin Lake. Sizes were small with an average length of 6.5 inches and a maximum of just over 7 inches. Other species sampled in similar numbers to the past were white sucker and golden shiner.

Twin Lake is located approximately 6 miles SW of Ely in the Superior National Forest. About half of the shoreline is public land. There is a public access with a concrete boat ramp located on the north side of the west basin at the end of FR 451 or the West Boundary Road. This lake has two distinct basins separated by a shallow navigable narrows. Three small inlets to Twin Lake drain local wetlands. The outlet, to Mitchell Lake, has beaver dams and marshy areas that limit fish movement. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline of Twin Lakes are mostly gravel, rubble, and boulder. Aquatic plants grow to a depth of 10 feet; sedges and sweetgale are common along the shoreline, while water horehound, white waterlilies, and Robbin's pondweed are common in the water. Nine species of fish were sampled during the 2016 survey. Northern pike and largemouth bass were common. Bluegill and black crappie were sampled for the first time in 2016. Bluegill numbers were well above average. Low numbers of good sized walleye are also present. Northern pike numbers in 2016 (9.5/gill net) were lower than the long term average (12.3/gill net) for all surveys on this lake. The average pike sampled was 23 inches which is larger than the historic average length of 20 inches. The largest pike sampled was 36 inches long. Largemouth bass were sampled by electrofishing in 2016. Largemouth were netted at a rate of 69 fish per hour. The average largemouth sampled was about 12 inches and typically 6 years old. Sixty-seven percent of the largemouth were 12 inches or larger with the largest measuring over 16 inches long. Bluegill abundance in 2016 (34.6/trap net) was higher than average when compared to other similar area lakes. The average bluegill sampled was small at under 5 inches long and about 5 years old. Black crappie numbers in 2016 (2.9/trap net) were average compared to other similar area lakes. The average crappie sampled was 6 inches long and the largest was 13 inches long which was the only crappie sampled over 10 inches in length. Walleye have been present in low numbers in every survey of Twin Lake. Four walleye were sampled in 2016 from the gill nets with a length range of 19 to just under 25 inches. The trap net catch included 3 walleye between 20 and 27 inches.

Twin Lake is comprised of two basins separated by a navigable narrows that is about 30 feet wide and about 2 feet deep. The two basins have similar surface areas (west basin = 125 acres, east basin = 114 acres) and similar total alkalinities (west basin = 27 ppm, east basin = 28 ppm), but the west basin is deeper (52 feet) and clearer (Secchi = 11 feet) than the east basin (18 feet deep, Secchi = 5 feet). Twin Lake is in Ecological Lake Class 10, which consists of 76 lakes in northeast Minnesota that are small and have soft (unmineralized) water. Twin Lake ranks as mesotrophic according to Carlson's Trophic State Index. The west basin of Twin Lake was thermally stratified on 6/19/2006 with a surface temperature of 70 F and a bottom temperature of 41 F. Adequate oxygen for fish (more than 2 ppm) was retained to a depth of 29 feet, where the temperature was 46 F. An investigation on 8/22/1996 showed that later in the summer on the west basin of Twin Lake, 2 ppm oxygen was retained only to a depth of 12 feet, where the temperature was 67 F. the east basin of Twin Lake was also thermally stratified on 6/19/2006 with a surface temperature of 70 F and a bottom temperature of 52 F. Adequate oxygen for fish was retained to a depth of 13 feet, where the temperature was 58 F. Three small inlets to Twin Lake drain local wetlands. The outlet, to Mitchell Lake, has beaver dams and marshy areas that limit fish movement. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline of Twin Lakes are mostly gravel, rubble, and boulder. Aquatic plants grow to a depth of 10 feet. Sedges and sweetgale are common along the shoreline, while water horehound, white waterlilies, and Robbins pondweed are the most common plants found in the water. The West Boundary Road (USFS Road 451) was extended to the northwest shore of Twin Lake in 1992 and a small parking area and concrete boat ramp were installed. Previous to 1990, access was by a one-mile portage from Mitchell Lake. About 50 percent of the shoreline is in State or Federal ownership. A number of private parcels of varying size are along the south and east shores, and recently some State County Tax Forfeit shoreline just east of the public access was exchanged to a private party and subdivided. There were no dwellings on Twin Lake in 1985. Currently there are eight cabins and five developed tent sites where cabins are likely to be built in the future. Fishing pressure is likely light-to-moderate at present, but will likely increase in the future. Fish sampling in the 2006 fisheries lake survey consisted of six gillnets, six trapnets, and six shoreline seines. Two previous fisheries lake surveys (1964, 1985) and a fish population assessment (1995) used 6-8 gillnets. Trapnets were not used until the 1995 investigation, when road access was available. Shoreline seining was done during the two previous fisheries lake surveys. Fish populations in 2006, as in previous investigations, were dominated by northern pike and white sucker. Walleye numbers increased in 2006. Largemouth bass numbers may be higher than indicated by the net catches, as bass are known to avoid capture in standard sampling nets. Northern pike numbers in 2006 (12.3/gillnet) were higher than normal (in the fourth quartile) for this lake class and were similar to the median pike catch of 13.9/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Pike sizes in 2006 averaged 19.0 inches (1.7 lb), which was somewhat lower (in the second quartile) for this lake class and was similar to the average size of 19.2 inches in all investigations on this lake. The largest pike caught in 2006 (41.9 inches, 20.5 lb) was by far the largest caught in all investigations on this lake. Pike recruitment has been good, with ages 2-6 well represented. With the exception of the largest pike captured in 2006, pike growth was slower than normal (in the first quartile) by area standards. Sucker numbers in 2006 (10.7/gillnet) were higher than normal (in the fourth quartile) for this lake class and were similar to the median catch of 10.5/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Sucker sizes were somewhat larger than normal (in the third quartile) for this lake class and were similar to previous investigations on this lake. Walleye numbers in 2006 (2.2/gillnet) were normal (near the median) for this lake class and were higher than the average walleye catch of 0.6/gillnet in previous investigations on this lake. Walleye sizes in 2006 averaged 18.4 inches (2.4 lb), which was larger than normal (in the fourth quartile) for this lake class. The largest walleye in 2006, caught in a trapnet, was 28.5 inches. Walleye growth was faster than normal (in the fourth quartile) by area standards. Many of the game fish examined in 2006 were infected with neascus. Some of the bass had bass tapeworm larvae in their viscera, and some of the yellow perch had yellow grub. All of these parasites are native to the area and are common. They cannot infect humans, are often removed by filleting fish, and are killed at temperatures used to cook fish.

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

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

Twin has a maximum depth of 51 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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