24 miles northeast of Grand Marais
Cook County, Minnesota · 48.0485° N, 90.0649° W
Directions to McFarland Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Minnesota DNR public access site.
Updated 19 Oct 2026, 5:55 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on McFarland Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of McFarland Lake was in August 2021: 9 gill nets and 9 trap nets caught 7 species. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in August 2023; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 1997 9.5 · 2003 6.3 · 2013 2.1 · 2017 7.6 · 2021 6.9
Yellow perch per trap net, standard surveys: 1988 0.3 · 1991 0.1 · 2013 0.2 · 2017 0.6 · 2021 0.2
Walleye: 63 measured, 8 to 25 in, half 15 in or longer; average 1.6 lb, normal (normal 1–2 lb).
Northern pike: 24 measured, 8 to 26 in, half 20 in or longer; average 2.2 lb, normal (normal 2.1–4.9 lb).
Smallmouth bass: 167 measured, 1 to 17 in, half 2 in or longer; average 1.8 lb, above normal (normal 0.6–1.5 lb).
Yellow perch: 67 measured, 1 to 7 in, half 5 in or longer; average 0.1 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.2 lb).
Also caught: lake whitefish, white sucker.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 16 Aug 2021, via LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Normal range: DNR’s range for lakes of the same class (43 classes, grouped by water chemistry and shape). Each line has its own scale. How we measure
Measured water clarity averages about 16 ft: the Secchi depth across 8 readings, 1955–2021.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
McFarland Lake is 49 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 386 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: McFarland Lake Public Water Access Site.
Minnesota DNR’s August 2021 standard survey caught 7 species, most often walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and northern pike.
About 53% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.