21 miles north of Grand Marais
Cook County, Minnesota · 48.0465° N, 90.5080° W
Directions to Popular Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
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Updated 15 Oct 2026, 4:39 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on Poplar Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 5 stockings of Poplar Lake in 5 of the years 2017 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 6,032 walleye fingerlings. Species stocked: walleye.
Latest: 2025: 6,032 walleye fingerlings.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries (LakeFinder stocking reports), fetched 15 Oct 2026. How we measure
Measured from Minnesota DNR contours. How we measure
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of Poplar Lake was in July 2016: 12 trap nets caught 9 species. This survey is 10 years old. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in August 2024; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Black crappie per trap net, standard surveys: 1993 0.2 · 1995 0.1 · 2006 0.8 · 2012 0.8 · 2016 0.1
Walleye: 13 measured, 2 to 27 in, half 12 in or longer; average 0.42 lb, below normal (normal 0.5–1.5 lb).
Northern pike: 23 measured, 5 to 25 in, half 17 in or longer.
Smallmouth bass: 57 measured, 1 to 17 in, half 1 in or longer; average 1.9 lb, above normal (normal 0.2–0.4 lb).
Black crappie: 71 measured, 0 to 11 in, half 1 in or longer; average 0.71 lb, normal (normal 0.4–1.1 lb).
Yellow perch: 305 measured, 0 to 7 in, half 1 in or longer; average 0.08 lb, below normal (normal 0.1–0.4 lb).
Also caught: northern pike, white sucker.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 25 Jul 2016, 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 11 ft: the Secchi depth across 11 readings, 1948–2024.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Poplar Lake is 73 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 764 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Popular Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 5 stockings of it in 5 of the years 2017 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 6,032 walleye fingerlings.
Minnesota DNR’s July 2016 standard survey caught 9 species, most often northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye and yellow perch.
About 75% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.