Namakan

Namakan Lake is a class 2 lake located on the Minnesota-Ontario border within Voyageurs National Park (VNP). The total surface area is 24,066 acres, of which 49% or 11,755 acres lie within Minnesota. Namakan Lake is typical of lakes within the Canadian Shield with soft, oligotrophic water and intermediate productivity. The mean depth is 45 feet, with a maximum-recorded depth of 150 feet. Only 20% of the lake is less than 15 feet deep (littoral zone), although its shoreline stretches for more than 146 miles. Namakan Lake is part of the Namakan Reservoir, which also includes Kabetogama, Sand Point, Crane, and Little Vermilion lakes. Namakan Lake has road access on the Canadian side (Namakan River via Flanders Road), but access on the Minnesota side is by water only. A mechanical portage from Rainy Lake is available at Kettle Falls. The nearest road access on the Minnesota side is located on the east end of Kabetogama Lake at VNP's Ash River Visitor Center. Namakan has been sampled annually since 1983. Current fishing regulations on Namakan Lake follow the border waters (Canada-Minnesota) regulations. For Walleye and Sauger, the limit is six (not more than four can be Walleye), Walleye from 18"-26" must be immediately released, and only one Walleye over 26" allowed in possession limit. Walleye gill net catch rate was 8.0 fish per net, which was above average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 3.4 to 24.1 inches and the average length was 13.0 inches. Average weight was 0.8 pounds, which was below average compared to similar lakes. A total of 14 year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 0 to 15 years. Age-3 and age-4 Walleye were the most common ages in the 2025 gill nets. Average length at age-4 was 12.7 inches, which was below average compared to other lakes in the International Falls Management Area. Overall, there are good numbers of Walleye in Namakan Lake, with the chance to catch Walleye over 26 inches. Namakan Lake offers a good Walleye fishing opportunity Northern Pike gill net catch rate was 2.0 fish per net, which was above average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 15.3 to 34.0 inches and the average length was 22.3 inches. Average weight was 2.5 pounds, which was below average compared to similar lakes. A total of 7 year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 2 to 9 years. Northern Pike from the 2022 (age-3) and 2020 (age-5) year-classes accounted for 55 percent of the total catch. Average length at age-4 was 20.3 inches, which was below average compared to other lakes in the International Falls Management Area. Namakan Lake offers a low-density, high-quality Northern Pike fishery with an excellent opportunity to catch a trophy fish. Sauger gill net catch rate was 2.6 fish per net, which was below average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 7.8 to 13.6 inches and the average length was 10.0 inches. Average weight was 0.3 pounds, which was below average compared to similar lakes. A total of 8 year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 3 to 13 years. Age-5 Sauger made up 19 percent of the gill net catch and age-3 Sauger accounted for another 13 percent of the total sample. Average length at age-4 was 10.9 inches, which was above average compared to other lakes in the International Falls Management Area. Although Sauger in Namakan Lake do not reach larger overall sizes, they do provide an additional harvest opportunity for anglers. Yellow Perch gill net catch rate was 2.5 fish per net, which was below average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 5.5 to 11.1 inches and the average length was 7.8 inches. Average weight was 0.22 pounds, which was above average compared to similar lakes. A total of five year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 2 to 6 years. Age-4 Yellow Perch made up 31 percent of the total catch and age-5 Yellow Perch accounted for an additional 34 percent of the total sample. Average length at age-4 was 7.7 inches, which was above average compared to other lakes in the International Falls Management Area. Yellow Perch offer an additional fishing opportunity and forage for Walleye and Northern Pike. Smallmouth Bass gill net catch rate was 0.9 fish per net, which was well above average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 7.8 to 19.8 inches and the average length was 14.1 inches. Average weight was 1.8 pounds, which was well above average compared to similar lakes. A total of eight year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 2 to 20 years. Age-4 Smallmouth Bass made up 35 percent of the total catch and age-5 Smallmouth Bass made up 24 percent of the total catch. Average length at age-4 was 12.2 inches, which was above average compared to other lakes in the International Falls Management Area. There are decent numbers of 12 to 14-inch Smallmouth Bass in Namakan Lake, with the opportunity to catch quality fish. Bluegill are typically sampled in low numbers in Namakan Lake but recently there has been an increasing number of anglers reporting targetable numbers in nearby Lake Kabetogama. Bluegill gill net catch rate was 0.4 fish per net and was the second highest catch rate in survey history. Total length ranged from 8.3 to 9.1 inches and the average length was 8.7 inches. Average weight was 0.61 pounds. A total of two year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 4 to 5 years. The 2020 year-class represented 71 percent of the total catch. Bluegill offer an additional fishing opportunity in Namakan Lake. Black Crappie are typically sampled in low numbers in Namakan Lake. Black Crappie gill net catch rate was 0.3 fish per net, which was average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 7.0 to 12.7 inches and the average length was 10.7 inches. Average weight was 0.85 pounds, which was well above average compared to similar lakes. A total of three year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 3 to 7 years. The 2022 year-class and the 2020 year-class represented 80 percent of the total catch. Black Crappie offer an additional fishing opportunity in Namakan Lake. Cisco and Lake Whitefish are also present and provide quality forage for top predators in Namakan Lake. Other species sampled during the 2025 survey included Burbot (eelpout), Lake Sturgeon, Pumpkinseed, Redhorse Suckers, Rock Bass, and White Sucker.

Introduction This investigation was designed to document the population characteristics of Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) found in Namakan and Sand Point Lakes, Minnesota. Changes in water-level management first enacted by the International Joint Commission (IJC) in 2000 were expected to be beneficial to Lake Whitefish in the Namakan Reservoir. Lake Whitefish spawn in shallow water during October and November with eggs hatching early in the following spring. Whitefish eggs, therefore, are susceptible to desiccation during winters with significant water level drawdown. This investigation used the Fish Community Index Netting (FCIN) protocol developed by the Province of Ontario (LNFAU 2001) to collect long-term population characteristics of Lake Whitefish in Namakan and Sand Point Lakes. FCIN is carried out on a two of four-year rotation. The 2025 sampling season represents the first of two surveys in the current four-year rotation on the Namakan Reservoir. Methods A total of nine FCIN nets were set from August 4th through August 7th, 2025, on Namakan Lake. Three additional sets were made on Sand Point Lake on August 7th and lifted on August 8th. Sets were approximately 24 hours in duration. Gill nets used were eight feet tall and consisted of nine 50-foot panels of various mesh gill net (1.0, 2.25, 0.75, 1.5, 2.5, 1.75, 0.5, 2.0, and 1.25 inch bar measure). Net locations were selected to sample two depth strata (50'-90' and greater than 90'). Six nets were set in the shallow-water stratum and three were set in the deep-water stratum of Namakan Lake, and two were set in the shallow-water stratum and one in the deep-water stratum of Sand Point Lake (Figure 1). Net location and orientation were chosen randomly within strata across the entire lake. However, nets could not be within 330 feet of shore or exposed shoals. All fish captured in each net were separated by species and capture mesh. Total length, weight, sex, and state of maturity were recorded for all Lake Whitefish captured. Otoliths were collected from Lake Whitefish and sent to the Lake Superior Area Fisheries Office for aging. Five metrics were incorporated to track long-term trends in the Lake Whitefish population (LNFAU 2001). 1) Mean age of first maturity 2) Mean age of FCIN catch 3) Relative abundance (Catch per unit effort (CPUE)) 4) Recruitment/ juvenile abundance (CPUE of age 3, 4 and 5) 5) Spatial distribution of FCIN catch Results and Discussion A total of seven species totaling 393 individual fish were caught in the 2025 summer FCIN assessment (Table 1). Cisco species were the most common fish by number and weight, making up 77.6 percent of the total catch by number and 38.5 percent of the catch by weight. Lake Whitefish and Walleye made up the next largest portion of the total weight at 22.6 and 21.8 percent of the catch, respectively. Lake Whitefish were caught at a rate of 2.9 per gill net with a total of 35 fish caught. A total of 305 Cisco (25.4 per net), 27 Burbot (2.3 per net), 19 Walleyes (1.6 per net), four White Suckers (0.3 per net), two Northern Pike (0.2 per net), and one Sauger were caught during the 2025 FCIN survey. Lake Whitefish ranged in length from 7.7 to 21.9 inches, with a mean of 15.7 inches (Table 2). The mean weight was 1.6 pounds. Twelve age-classes were represented in the 2025 catch with the age-4 year-class composing 22.9 percent of the total catch while the age-5 and age-10 year-classes each made up an additional 14.3 percent of the total catch (Table 3). Five metrics for evaluating the Lake Whitefish population were calculated. The age of 50% maturity (females) was 9.6 years. The mean age of Lake Whitefish in the FCIN catch was 6.9 years. Recruitment criteria showed that the juvenile abundance (CPUE of age 3, 4, 5) of Lake Whitefish was 1.3 per net. The two highest catch rates of juvenile Lake Whitefish since sampling began in 2004 occurred during the 2022 and 2025 surveys. Lake Whitefish were sampled at 8 of 12 stations (Figure 2). Lake Whitefish were not sampled in any of the nets from Sand Point Lake in 2022 or 2025. FCIN sampling from recent years suggest the Lake Whitefish population is relatively stable. Sampling was carried out in a two of four-year rotation resulting in 12 years of sampling between 2004 and 2025. Lake Whitefish catch rates have fluctuated between 1.3 per net and 4.6 per net and averaged 3.0 per net. There is no longer a commercial fishery for Lake Whitefish on the Minnesota side of the Namakan Reservoir and recreational harvest is likely low. There were several age classes of Lake Whitefish present in the 2025 catch with individuals up to 20 years old and a good catch rate of juvenile fish. Consistent catch rates of juvenile Lake Whitefish suggest good reproduction and recruitment. Monitoring of the Lake Whitefish population for signs of stress should continue. References LNFAU, 1999. Lake Nipigon Fisheries Assessment Unit: Fish Community Index Netting (FCIN). Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Ontario, Canada.

Namakan Lake is a class 2 lake located on the Minnesota-Ontario border within Voyageurs National Park (VNP). The total surface area is 24,066 acres, of which 49% or 11,755 acres lie within Minnesota. Namakan Lake is typical of lakes within the Canadian Shield with soft, oligotrophic water and intermediate productivity. The mean depth is 45 feet, with a maximum-recorded depth of 150 feet. Only 20% of the lake is less than 15 feet deep (littoral zone), although its shoreline stretches for more than 146 miles. Namakan Lake is part of the Namakan Reservoir, which also includes Kabetogama, Sand Point, Crane, and Little Vermilion lakes. Namakan Lake has road access on the Canadian side (Namakan River via Flanders Road), but access on the Minnesota side is by water only. A mechanical portage from Rainy Lake is available at Kettle Falls. The nearest road access on the Minnesota side is located on the east end of Kabetogama Lake at VNP's Ash River Visitor Center. Namakan has been sampled annually since 1983. Current fishing regulations on Namakan Lake follow the border waters (Canada-Minnesota) regulations. For Walleye and Sauger, the limit is six (not more than four can be Walleye), Walleye from 18"-26" must be immediately released, and only one Walleye over 26" allowed in possession limit. Walleye gill net catch rate was 8.7 fish per net, which was above average compared to similar lakes. The catch rate was above the management goal of 6.3 fish per net for Namakan Lake. Total length ranged from 7.3 to 24.0 inches and the average length was 12.8 inches. A total of 14 year-classes were present and ages ranged from 1 to 18 years. Overall, there are good numbers of Walleye in Namakan Lake, with the chance to catch Walleye over 26 inches. Namakan Lake offers a good Walleye fishing opportunity Northern Pike gill net catch rate was 1.85 fish per net, which was above average compared to similar lakes. The catch rate was above the management goal of 1.6 fish per net for Namakan Lake. Total length ranged from 14.6 to 37.8 inches and the average length was 24.3 inches. A total of 10 year-classes were present and ages ranged from 1 to 10 years. Northern Pike numbers are down from recent surveys, but Namakan Lake still offers a low-density, high quality Northern Pike fishery with an excellent opportunity to catch a trophy fish. Sauger gill net catch rate was 3.05 fish per net, which was below average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 7.1 to 13.5 inches and the average length was 10.0 inches. A total of 10 year-classes were present and ages ranged from 1 to 10 years. Strong year classes in 2019 and 2020 are providing good numbers of Sauger, and preliminary data suggest strong year classes from 2022 and 2023. Although Sauger in Namakan Lake do not reach larger overall sizes, they do provide an additional harvest opportunity for anglers. Yellow Perch gill net catch rate was 4.60 fish per net, which was above average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 5.4 to 10.8 inches and the average length was 7.5 inches. A total of six year-classes were present and ages ranged from 1 to 6 years. Yellow Perch offer an additional fishing opportunity and forage for Walleye and Northern Pike. Smallmouth Bass gill net catch rate was 1.90 fish per net, which was well above average compared to similar lakes and is the highest catch rate ever recorded in Namakan Lake. Total length ranged from 8.8 to 16.6 inches and the average length was 13.3 inches. A total of eight year-classes were present and ages ranged from 2 to 12 years. There are decent numbers of 12 to 14-inch Smallmouth Bass in Namakan Lake, with the opportunity to catch a quality fish. Bluegill are typically sampled in low numbers in Namakan Lake but recently there has been an increasing number of anglers reporting targetable numbers in nearby Lake Kabetogama. Bluegill gill net catch rate was 0.95 fish per net and was the highest catch rate in survey history. Total length ranged from 4.1 to 9.3 inches and the average length was 7.4 inches. A total of four year-classes were present and ages ranged from 1 to 9 years. The 2020 year-class represented 63 percent of the total catch. Bluegill offer an additional fishing opportunity in Namakan Lake. Black Crappie are typically sampled in low numbers in Namakan Lake. Black Crappie gill net catch rate was 0.25 fish per net, which was below average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 6.1 to 11.7 inches and the average length was 8.2 inches. A total of 3 year-classes were present and ages ranged from 2 to 4 years. The 2022 year-class represented 60 percent of the total catch. Black Crappie offer an additional fishing opportunity in Namakan Lake.

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

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

Namakan has a maximum depth of 150 feet and a mean depth of 44.5 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

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

Yes — Namakan has confirmed spiny waterflea and zebra mussel. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.