Minnesota · Cook County
Toohey Lake Fishing guide
Toohey Lake covers 370 acres in Cook County, Minnesota, reaching 11 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2020, with walleye, northern pike and yellow perch in the nets. That survey is 6 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeOne of the best around34.3per gill net14"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 360 fish
Recent · 2012 + 2020Lengths measured · 138 fish
2020Lengths measured · 222 fish
2012Lengths measured · 344 fish
2007Lengths measured · 185 fish
2002Northern pikeJust a few1.8per gill net15"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2012 + 2020Lengths measured · 13 fish
2020Lengths measured · 9 fish
2012Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 16 fish
2007Lengths measured · 2 fish
2002Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchExcellent numbers16per gill net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 184 fish
Recent · 2012 + 2020Lengths measured · 57 fish
2020Lengths measured · 127 fish
2012Lengths measured · 147 fish
2007Lengths measured · 357 fish
2002Rates 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 Toohey Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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 11-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.
- 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 11-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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 25" | 16" | 12" |
| 2012 | 26" | 19" | 12" |
| 2007 | 28" | 23" | 12" |
| 2002 | 22" | 13" | 13" |
| 1995 | 25" | 22" | 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 · 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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2020 survey
Toohey Lake is located about 11 miles northwest of Tofte within the Superior National Forest. There is a Forest Service campground with seven sites on the lake off the Fourmile Grade Road (Forest Service 170), which includes a public boat access with concrete log ramp. The water is shallow and the access is best suited for smaller boats and canoes that can be launched in ankle deep water. The lake has dark brown, bog stained water and shallow depth, with a maximum depth of just eleven feet.
Walleye are the primary management species and the population is sustained through natural reproduction. The catch rate of 27.6 per gill net remained above the normal range for similar lakes for the fourth consecutive assessment of the lake. Size also remained similar to recent surveys with few Walleye longer than eighteen inches sampled. Age analysis identified eleven year classes including fish from each age between age-1 to age-10. These results indicate the lake continues to support a high density Walleye population with excellent opportunities for "eater" sized fish between 14 and 17 inches long.
Read the full DNR narrative
Anglers may also catch Yellow Perch large enough to harvest while fishing Toohey Lake. The catch rate of 11.4 per gill net was within the normal range for similar lakes and 54% of the catch exceeded ten inches in length. Age analysis determined ten year classes were present with fairly consistent reproduction and survival each year. Perch are also an important forage species and the population continues to persist through natural reproduction while providing some opportunities for anglers to harvest fish.
White Sucker, another important forage species, were captured at a rate of 6.0 per gill net which is within the normal range for similar lakes.
A low density population of Northern Pike also inhabits the lake. Results from this survey were similar to all of the historic assessments of the lake that found pike rarely reach a size of interest to anglers.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Toohey Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Toohey 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
- Toohey Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Toohey Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Fox Lake · 34 ac · 0.8 mi
- East Fox Lake · 21 ac · 1.1 mi
- Feather Lake · 9 ac · 1.2 mi
- Finger Lake · 204 ac · 1.9 mi
- Four Mile Lake · 593 ac · 2.2 mi
- Elbow Lake · 528 ac · 2.7 mi
- Timber Lake · 278 ac · 3.2 mi
- Lost Lake · 82 ac · 3.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Toohey Lake?
Toohey Lake reaches 11 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Toohey Lake?
Toohey Lake covers 370 acres with about 3.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Toohey Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Toohey Lake average 5.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Toohey Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2020) record walleye, northern pike, yellow perch.
Is Toohey Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Toohey Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Toohey Lake have a public access?
Yes. Toohey Lake has one public access site: Toohey Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Toohey Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Toohey Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Toohey Lake in 2020, the most recent of 10 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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