Franklin
A 156-acre lake near Crane Lake in St. Louis County — best known for walleye and panfish. Last surveyed 2021.
Fish Species (8)
Walleye
Above-normal numbers · large fish
Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 2021
Catch rate: 13.3 per gill net · typical 2.2–10.5 for a lake like this
Survey History
| Date | Catch Rate | Avg Length | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2021 | 13.25 | 17.9" | 1.97 lbs |
| Jul 29, 2013 | 19.00 | 16.2" | 1.53 lbs |
| Jul 31, 2006 | 24.50 | 17.2" | 1.93 lbs |
Yellow Perch
Above-normal numbers · average-size fish
Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 2021
Catch rate: 22.3 per gill net · typical 2.5–14.3 for a lake like this
Survey History
| Date | Catch Rate | Avg Length | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2021 | 22.25 | 7.1" | 0.19 lbs |
| Jul 29, 2013 | 10.00 | 6.5" | 0.17 lbs |
| Jul 31, 2006 | 3.00 | 6.1" | 0.10 lbs |
Northern Pike
Above-normal numbers · small fish
Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 2021
Catch rate: 9.8 per gill net · typical 2–8.5 for a lake like this
Survey History
| Date | Catch Rate | Avg Length | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2021 | 9.75 | 19.7" | 1.92 lbs |
| Jul 29, 2013 | 13.25 | 19.5" | 1.76 lbs |
| Jul 31, 2006 | 2.22 | 18.3" | 1.48 lbs |
Green Sunfish
Below-normal numbers
Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 2006
Last surveyed 2006 — treat with caution
Catch rate: 0.11 per trap net
Survey History
| Date | Catch Rate | Avg Length | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 2013 | 0.25 | 6.0" | 0.18 lbs |
| Jul 31, 2006 | 0.11 | 3.0" | 0.04 lbs |
Bluegill
Gill-net survey · surveyed Sep 1999
Last surveyed 1999 — treat with caution
Catch rate: 0.25 per gill net
Survey History
| Date | Catch Rate | Avg Length | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 7, 1999 | 0.25 | - | - |
Other species in this lake (3)
Rough fish, bullheads, and baitfish recorded in DNR surveys — present in the lake, but not typical angling targets.
White Sucker
Below-normal numbers · large fish
Gill-net survey · surveyed Jul 2013
Last surveyed 2013 — treat with caution
Catch rate: 0.25 per gill net · typical 1.6–8.4 for a lake like this
Survey History
| Date | Catch Rate | Avg Length | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 2013 | 0.25 | 17.0" | 2.60 lbs |
| Sep 7, 1999 | 0.25 | 18.0" | 2.80 lbs |
Golden Shiner
Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 2006
Last surveyed 2006 — treat with caution
Catch rate: 60.5 per trap net
Survey History
| Date | Catch Rate | Avg Length | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 31, 2006 | 60.50 | 5.3" | - |
| Jul 31, 2006 | 0.44 | 5.3" | 0.06 lbs |
Bluntnose Minnow
Trap-net survey · surveyed Jul 2006
Last surveyed 2006 — treat with caution
Catch rate: 61.5 per trap net
Survey History
| Date | Catch Rate | Avg Length | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 31, 2006 | 61.50 | - | - |
Biologist Notes
August 30, 2021Franklin Lake is a shallow 156 acre lake located approximately 10 miles east of Crane Lake. Access to Franklin is carry-in or ATV only. Check with the…
Franklin Lake is a shallow 156 acre lake located approximately 10 miles east of Crane Lake. Access to Franklin is carry-in or ATV only. Check with the US Forest Service to be sure the trail is currently open to ATV before making the trip. Walleye are naturally reproducing and well above average in numbers for similar lakes, and are over 18 inches in length and just shy of 2 pounds on average. Northern Pike are abundant, with an average length of 20 inches, and fish up to 31.5 inches sampled. For those who make the effort to access the lake, Franklin should provide ample angling opportunities.
July 29, 2013Franklin Lake is a shallow 156 acre lake located approximately 10 miles east of Crane Lake. Access to Franklin is carry-in or ATV only. Check with the…
Franklin Lake is a shallow 156 acre lake located approximately 10 miles east of Crane Lake. Access to Franklin is carry-in or ATV only. Check with the US Forest Service to be sure the trail is currently open to ATV before making the trip. For those who make the effort to access the lake, Franklin should provide ample angling opportunities. Northern Pike are abundant, with an average length of 20 inches, and fish up to 31.9 inches sampled. Walleye are naturally reproducing and well above average in numbers for similar lakes. They also average over 16 inches and 1.5 pounds. Yellow Perch are fast growing and fairly abundant with fish up to 10.9 inches sampled.
July 31, 2006Franklin Lake is a 135 acre, class 13 lake, located approximately six miles northwest of Crane Lake, Minnesota. Franklin Lake is mostly shallow. The c…
Franklin Lake is a 135 acre, class 13 lake, located approximately six miles northwest of Crane Lake, Minnesota. Franklin Lake is mostly shallow. The carry-in access located on the south side of the lake was used during the survey. Northern pike gill-net abundance was 12.0 fish/set, which was well above most class 13 lakes. Five year-classes were present and age ranged from 1-5 years. Total length ranged from 15.9-25.1 inches. Growth and average weight were below average. The walleye population greatly exceeded most class 13 lakes. Giill-net abundance was 24.5 fish/set. Typically 75% of class 13 lakes are below 10.5 fish/set. Sixteen year-classes were present and age ranged from 1-18 years. Total length in gill nets ranged from 9.5-23.6 inches and the average was 17.4. Length at age-4 was 16.7 inches, which was 2 inches more than the average for the International Falls Management Area. Average weight of walleyes captured in gill nets was also above average. Yellow perch gill-net abundance was 25.2 fish/set, which was well above what is normally observed in class 13 lakes. Six year-classes were present and age ranged from 2-8 years. Total length ranged from 5.6-11.9 inches. Growth was above the area average.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fish can you catch in Franklin?
Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Walleye, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, and Green Sunfish in Franklin. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.
Is there public access at Franklin?
Minnesota DNR records list public access for Franklin. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.
How deep is Franklin?
Franklin has a maximum depth of 18 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.
When were the main sport fish in Franklin last surveyed?
The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Franklin is from 2021.
Does Franklin have any invasive species?
No invasive species are on record for Franklin in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.
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Lake Details
- Surface Area
- 156.44 acres
- Max Depth
- 18 ft
- Shoreline
- 2.61 mi
- Public Access
- Yes