Trygg

Trygg is a designated stream trout lake located 34 miles northwest of Ely in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Within the Tower Area it is most comparable to fellow stream trout lakes Alruss, Louis, and Chant. A dissolved oxygen and temperature profile during the survey recorded a surface temperature of 66 °F, bottom temperature of 43 °F, and oxygen levels sufficient for trout to 23 feet where the temperature was 50 °F. Maximum depth is 34 feet. Secchi visibility was 14 feet, and the lake had a light green tint. Aquatic plants are sparse, but locally abundant in shallow bays. Much of the lake drops off steeply into the basin, and the shoreline consists almost entirely of sloping bedrock ridges. Fallen timber is a common feature of the north shore. Access is by a steep 25-rod portage from Takucmich lake. Although short, the portage is technical and shows modest signs of use. A 25-rod portage directly from Lac la Croix was in disuse as of 2025. The survey crew was able to locate a faded trail and sawn logs terminating at a steep landing on Lac la Croix. The shortest route from an entry point entails 18 miles of non-motorized travel. Canadian Lac la Croix has no motor restrictions, and a tow or snowmobile ride to within 1.5 miles is possible. A lone, somewhat spartan campsite is present on the south side of the lake in a regenerating jack pine stand. Travelers will find much finer amenities on neighboring Takucmich. Brook trout were the only species sampled in two gill nets. Abundance (15.5/net) was almost identical to the long-term average for Trygg. Brook trout ranged from 8.5 to nearly 19 inches with an average length of 14.5 inches the highest sampled from the lake. Fish from three year classes appeared to be present. Trout stomachs were only occasionally full and contained a variety of invertebrate and fish species.

Trygg (also known as Twigg) Lake is located within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) within the Superior National Forest and is a non-motorized lake. It's accessed by a 180 yard portage from Takucmich Lake on the east side and a 170 yard portage from Lac La Croix on the west side. It is a small (25 acres) soft-water lake with a maximum depth of 35 feet and the water color is slightly bog-stained. Trygg Lake was thermally stratified on August 13, 2013 with a surface temperature of 70 F and a bottom temperature of 43 F. Ample oxygen for trout was retained to a depth of 20 feet. No defined inlets exist on Trygg and the only outlet exists on the west end and appears to be seasonal. Shoreline substrates are mostly ledgerock and boulder with some areas of sand and muck. An initial survey of Trygg was done in 1966 and showed large numbers of rock bass. The lake was treated with rotenone in 1967 which killed the existing rock bass as well as sunfish that were evidently also in the lake. From 1968 through 1986 rainbow trout were stocked and from 1987 to present, brook trout fingerlings have been stocked annually at an average rate of 81 fish/surface acre. The catch of brook trout by weight in Trygg Lake is 10 lbs/gill-net. This is slightly lower than the average catch of 13 lbs/gill-net based on the four previous investigations that have taken place since brook trout stocking began in 1987. Brook trout were the only fish species captured in 2013 as well as the past three investigations from Trygg Lake. Sixteen brook trout were captured and ranged in size from 8 to 21 inches with an average of 13 inches. Good size structure exists with 38% of the brook trout sampled being larger than 14 inches. Ten brook trout stomachs were examined in 2013, four contained fish remains and six were empty.

Trygg Lake is in Ecological Lake Class 10, which consists of 76 lakes in northeast Minnesota that are small and have clear and very soft (unmineralized) water. Trygg Lake is typical of lakes in this lake class except that it is smaller.Trygg Lake was thermally stratified on 07/13/2004 with a surface temperature of 73 F and a bottom temperature of 43 F. Good oxygen for trout (more than 5 ppm) was retained to a depth of 24 ft, where the temperature was 48 F. Trygg Lake has no inlets, and the outlet to Lac La Croix has a steep drop which prevents fish immigration. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline of Trygg Lake are mostly ledgerock and boulder, with some sand and muck.Trygg Lake originally contained rock bass and sunfish. It was poisoned in 1967 and stocked with rainbow trout from 1968 through 1986. Brook trout averaging 30/lb have been stocked annually since 1987 at the average rate of 81/surface acre.This stream trout assessment consisted of two gillnet sets. Seven previous fisheries lake surveys and fish population assessments dating back to 1966 consisted of 1-3 gillnet sets, all of which have been done from mid-July through mid September. Trapnets have not been used in Trygg Lake due to the difficult portage access.Brook trout were the only fish species captured in 2004. Eleven brook trout were captured from two size classes. Four trout 9-10" long were from the fingerling stocking the previous fall and had grown from an average size of 4" when stocked on October 1, 2003. Seven trout 14-16" long were age two or older.The catch of trout by weight in Trygg Lake of 7.9 lb/gillnet was lower than the average catch of 16.2 lb/gillnet in three investigations since brook trout stocking began in this lake, but was higher than the median catch of 2.5 lb/gillnet in recent investigations of 25 stream trout lakes in the Tower fisheries management area.Trout stomachs examined in 2004 were empty (45 percent), or contained fish (45 percent) or insects (10 percent).

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout in Trygg. 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 Trygg. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Trygg has a maximum depth of 35 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Trygg is from 2025.

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