4 miles east of Aurora
St. Louis County, Minnesota · 47.5249° N, 92.1579° W
Directions to Colby Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
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Updated 15 Oct 2026, 5:29 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on Colby Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of Colby Lake was in July 2025: 9 gill nets and 9 trap nets caught 12 species.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 2005 0.7 · 2010 0.3 · 2015 0.1 · 2020 0.4 · 2025 0.3
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 2005 27 · 2010 6.8 · 2015 13 · 2020 3.7 · 2025 5.8
Walleye: 5 measured, 9 to 22 in, half 15 in or longer; average 1.9 lb, normal (normal 0.8–2.2 lb).
Northern pike: 27 measured, 12 to 34 in, half 25 in or longer; average 3.8 lb, above normal (normal 1.6–3.3 lb).
Black crappie: 81 measured, 1 to 9 in, half 7 in or longer; average 0.26 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Bluegill: 53 measured, 3 to 7 in, half 6 in or longer; average 0.15 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Yellow perch: 12 measured, 5 to 8 in, half 5 in or longer; average 0.12 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.2 lb).
Also caught: channel catfish, golden shiner, hybrid sunfish, shorthead redhorse, white sucker, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 14 Jul 2025, 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 3 ft: the Secchi depth across 5 readings, 2010–2025.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Colby Lake is 30 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 518 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Colby Lake Public Water Access Site.
Minnesota DNR’s July 2025 standard survey caught 12 species, most often black crappie, bluegill, northern pike and channel catfish.
About 46% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.