Cummings Lake

Cummings Lake sits in the La Croix Ranger District west of Ely, the far end of a tight cluster of interior lakes reached from Entry Point 4 by way of Crab Lake, Little Crab Lake, and Korb Lake. At just over 1,000 acres, it's the largest lake in that cluster and the turnaround point for paddlers willing to make the long portage in from Burntside Lake.

Portages reaching Cummings from other directions run long. Carries of a mile or more lead out toward Buck Lake and Big Moose Lake, both rated difficult, which helps explain why a lake this size sees lighter traffic than its campsite count might suggest.

Almost 20 miles of shoreline wrap around Cummings Lake, folding it into enough bays and points that it feels bigger than its acreage suggests once you're out on the water. It drops to 41 feet in its deepest basin, with the lake split close to evenly between that deeper water and shallow flats good for warm-water fish.

Smallmouth bass and largemouth bass both do well here, along with northern pike and panfish, bluegill and rock bass working the shallow half. Cisco hold in the cooler water below.

Thirteen campsites are spread around Cummings Lake, a lot for a lake reached by one demanding portage in and out from Burntside Lake through Crab Lake. That access keeps this corner of the wilderness quieter than lakes closer to an easier landing, and makes Cummings a natural basecamp for a group that would rather fish a cluster of lakes than cover new water every day.