Minnesota · Lake County
Cloquet Lake Fishing guide
Cloquet Lake covers 176 acres in Lake County, Minnesota, reaching 7 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 3.9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, northern pike and yellow perch in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Good numbers4per gill net19"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 24 fish
2024Lengths measured · 15 fish
2019Lengths measured · 15 fish
2017Lengths measured · 24 fish
2015Northern pikeFair numbers7.7per gill net16"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 46 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 46 fish
2024Lengths measured · 70 fish
2019Lengths measured · 60 fish
2017Lengths measured · 64 fish
2017Yellow perchExcellent numbers27per gill net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 162 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 162 fish
2024Lengths measured · 117 fish
2019Lengths measured · 79 fish
2017Lengths measured · 6 fish
2017Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Cloquet Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3.9 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 7-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 3.9 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 7-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Walleye | Northern pike | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 25" | 30" | 12" |
| 2019 | 25" | 29" | 13" |
| 2017 | 26" | 21" | 13" |
| 2016 | — | 20" | 12" |
| 2015 | 25" | 36" | 13" |
| 2010 | 27" | 31" | 13" |
| 2005 | 27" | 29" | 11" |
| 2003 | 25" | 31" | 12" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Yellow perch · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 6,576 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 9,216 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 2,326 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 3,288 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 2,055 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Cloquet Lake is a moderately sized lake with a maximum depth of seven feet located eleven miles west of Finland within the Superior National Forest. There is a small public access with an earthen boat ramp suitable for small boats and canoes on the southeast shore of the lake off Forest Service 102 (Cloquet Lake Road). The Walleye population is actively managed with the current plan to stock fingerlings in even numbered years. A standard fisheries survey was completed in July to monitor the fish community and evaluate stocking efforts.
The 2024 Walleye catch rate of 4.0 per gill net was similar to the last survey of the lake and within the normal range for similar lakes in the area, but below the goal set in the current fisheries management plan. The average size of Walleye caught was 19.1 inches long and weighed an estimated 2.51 pounds. Nearly half of the fish sampled were from the naturally reproduced 2021-year class. The remaining Walleye age classes corresponded to the five most recent years when fingerling stocking occurred. It remains unclear how much stocking contributes to the population since natural reproduction was likely responsible for the largest year class sampled and may occur regularly in the lake.
Read the full DNR narrative
The 2024 Yellow Perch catch of 27.0 per gill net was above the normal range for similar lakes in the area, but within the range of previous surveys of Cloquet Lake. Perch ranged from 5 to 12 inches long with an average length of 9.3 inches and weight of about 0.4 pounds. Opportunities to harvest fish appear to be good as 33% of the catch was greater than 10 inches long.
Northern Pike provide additional angling opportunities and the gill net catch rate of 7.7 per gill net was within the normal range for similar lakes and within the range of previous surveys. Pike size is generally poor and in 2024 they averaged just 17.4 inches long and 1.5 pounds, with few fish longer than 24 inches sampled.
Survey results indicate the lake currently supports fair opportunities for larger sized Walleye, excellent opportunities for harvestable sized Yellow Perch, and good opportunities to catch small Northern Pike, as well as an occasional larger fish.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Cloquet Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Cloquet Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Cloquet Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Cloquet Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Sink Lake · 18 ac · 1.1 mi
- Greenwood Lake · 1,329 ac · 8.9 mi
- Sullivan Lake · 45 ac · 9.5 mi
- Osier Lake · 72 ac · 9.5 mi
- Lax Lake · 295 ac · 10.9 mi
- Nicado Lake · 14 ac · 11.5 mi
- Tetagouche Lake · 67 ac · 12.1 mi
- Bear Lake · 44 ac · 12.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Cloquet Lake?
Cloquet Lake reaches 7 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Cloquet Lake?
Cloquet Lake covers 176 acres with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Cloquet Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Cloquet Lake average 3.9 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Cloquet Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, northern pike, yellow perch.
Is Cloquet Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Cloquet Lake have a public access?
Yes. Cloquet Lake has one public access site: Cloquet Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Cloquet Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2003.
When was Cloquet Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Cloquet Lake in 2024, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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