Pauline

Pauline Lake is a 63 acre lake located 20 miles north of Tower. The access is via a 0.1 mile portage from USFS Road 116 (Echo Trail). This lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet and brown bog-stained water. On July 8, 2021 Pauline Lake was thermally stratified with a surface temperature of 79 F and a bottom temperature of 48 F. Oxygen levels were adequate for gamefish to a depth of 11.5 feet where the temperature was 58 degrees. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline are mostly boulder and ledge rock with muck in some of the bays. The overall gillnet catch rate for all fish combined was 11.5 fish/net which was slightly below average for Pauline Lake. Yield was 22.1 lbs/net which was above average for the lake. Fish species sampled were white sucker, northern pike, walleye, and yellow perch. Five walleye were sampled for a catch rate of 1.3 fish/net, which was below average compared to other similar lakes, but comparable to past catches on Pauline Lake. Lengths ranged from 11 to nearly 30 inches with an average of 18 inches. Ages ranged from 3 to 17 years with four year classes represented. The northern pike gillnet catch was 3.0 fish/net which was better than average compared to other similar lakes, and right at the average of past surveys on Pauline Lake. Lengths ranged from 12 to just over 34 inches with an average of 20 inches. The average length was similar to past surveys, however the largest fish sampled was the new record for the lake. Four yellow perch were sampled for a catch rate of 1.0 fish/net which was below average compared to other similar lakes and slightly below average for Pauline Lake. Sizes were small with a range of 6 to 8 inches.

Pauline Lake is a 60-acre lake with a maximum depth of 25 feet located off the Echo Trail in Superior National Forest in northern St. Louis County. Access is by a steep 175-yard canoe portage from the Echo Trail. Pauline Lake, along with 45 other lakes in northeastern Minnesota, is in lake class 10. These lakes are typically small in size (average = 100 acres), moderately deep (maximum depth = 38 feet), and have soft water. The MDNR manages the lake primarily for walleye with biannual stocking. Pauline Lake has a simple fish community with only four species sampled. In 2010, walleye abundance was down from 2000 but comparable to other assessments on this lake. Only five walleye were sampled in 2010. These walleye ranged in length from 14.7 inches to 19.6 inches and were composed of four different year classes of which three were from stocked years. In 2010, northern pike abundance was typical for class 10 lakes and for past assessments on Pauline Lake. In 2010, the seven pike sampled ranged in length from 14.7 inches to 31.6 inches with an average length of 19.0 inches. Five different year classes were identified. Pike growth was below normal. At the end of three years of growth, Pauline pike were 15.4 inches long compared to the Tower area lake class 10 average of 17.2 inches. Both by numbers and pounds, white sucker was the most abundant species sampled in 2010. The only other species sampled was yellow perch.

Pauline Lake is in Ecological Lake Class 10, which consists of 76 lakes in northeast Minnesota that are small and have very soft water. Pauline Lake was thermally stratified on 06/19/2000 and retained 2 ppm oxygen to a depth of 14 ft, where the water temperature was 53 F. The bottom temperature was 45 F. The inlet from Nigh Lake has a beaver dam which limits fish movement. The outlet is to the Hunting Shack River. Shoal substrates are 55% boulder, 25% rubble, 15% sand, and 5% muck and ledgerock. Aquatic plants are sparse and grow to a depth of 5 ft; the most common plants are sedges, watershield, and burreeds.A lake survey (1974) and fish population assessments (1986, 1992, 2000) were all conducted in late June and each consisted of four gillnet sets. Trapnets were used only in 1974 and were not used in subsequent assessments due to the portage access.The total catch of fish (all species combined) in 2000 of 16 fish/gillnet (22 lb/gillnet) was in the third quartile for this lake class and was higher than the median catch of 14 fish/gillnet (18 lb/gillnet) in all investigations on this lake. Lake Class 10 is one of the least productive lake classes in northeast Minnesota, in terms of gillnet catches of fish.Fish populations in 2000 were dominated by northern pike, walleye, and white sucker. Rock bass and yellow perch numbers were low and were similar to previous investigations.Northern pike numbers in 2000 (3.0/gillnet) were near the median for this lake class and were lower than the median catch of 4.8/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Pike sizes in 2000 averaged 17.4" (1.2 lb) which was in the first quartile for this lake class and was smaller than the average size of 18.4" in all investigations on this lake. Pike growth appeared to be faster than normal for age 1-2 fish.Walleye were absent in the initial survey in 1974 and were present in low numbers (1.2/gillnet) in 1986. Walleye fry have been stocked biennially in Pauline Lake beginning in 1988 at the rate of 2,000/littoral acre (50,000 fry each stocking). Walleye numbers in 1992 (1.8/gillnet) showed little improvement over pre-stocking numbers, but walleye numbers in 2000 (5.5/gillnet) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class. Walleye sizes in 2000 averaged 12.5" (0.8 lb), which was in the first quartile for this lake class and was smaller than the average size of 14.3" in all investigations on this lake. Walleye growth was normal for area lakes.White sucker numbers in 2000 (6.5/gillnet) were in the fourth quartile for this lake class and were higher than the median catch of 4.9/gillnet in all investigations on this lake. Sucker sizes in 2000 averaged 17.1" (2.1 lb), which was in the third quartile for this lake class and was larger than the average size of 15.5" in all investigations on this lake.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Rock Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, and Pumpkinseed in Pauline. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

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

Pauline has a maximum depth of 25 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

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