There is no fishing information on this lake from the Minnesota DNR. However, would assume there is northern pike in this lake as it would be easy for them to move between Lujenida Lake and Kelso Lake. The lake is not extremely shallow; there are some deep spots. Also there is moving water through the lake which would reduce the chance of it freezing out. Most folks may be too tired to bother fishing after doing the Zenith Lake portage.
There are no campsites on Lujenida Lake. If you are coming from Kelso Lake you are pretty much committing yourself to the big portage to Zenith Lake or heading back the way you came. The Kelso River is easily navigable up to Lujenida Lake, regardless of the water levels. You may encounter a beaver dam or two or three...
Water flows into Lujenida Lake from the north via the Kelso River. The Kelso River flows out the south end of the lake. The Kelso River is not navigable north of Lujenida Lake (you get to do a 480 rod portage instead up to Zenith Lake).
The portage to Zenith Lake crosses the Laurentian Divide (similar to the Continental Divide in western North America). Water north of this demarcation flows to the Arctic Ocean and water to the south flows toward the Atlantic Ocean. There used to be a small primitive dam along the stream that parallels some of this long portage (Hansen, 2007). This dam was probably built by a man with the help of his son around 1960 (name unknown). This made some of the creek navigable, shortening this long portage somewhat. Dam is long gone.
References:
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 2 – Eastern Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 53, 78, 86, 133.
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 245.
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PADDLING NORTHBOUND FROM THE KELSO RIVER TO THE ZENITH LAKE PORTAGE
You are just north of where the Kelso River flows out of Lujenida Lake. This is a look at the east bay of the lake, as seen from the main part of the lake.
Paddling northward across Lujenida Lake from the Kelso River to the Zenith Lake portage. The Kelso River is not navigable upstream of Lujenida Lake.
Small cliffs along the west shore of the lake. The Zenith Lake portage is to the right side of your view, on that distant shoreline.
View of the lake in autumn from a short distance up the Zenith Lake portage. This view is looking toward the south. Portage to Zenith Lake -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM THE ZENITH LAKE PORTAGE SOUTHBOUND INTO THE KELSO RIVER
Lujenida Lake looking to the south from the Zenith Lake portage.
A view into the eastern bay of Lujenida Lake.
After setting off from the Zenith Lake portage, paddle through Lujenida Lake via a short sidetrip to the eastern bay of the lake. Then south into the Kelso River, heading downstream.
Rock outcrops along the north shore of the east bay of Lujenida Lake. Paddle into the Kelso River -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
Route Connections for Lujenida Lake
From Lujenida Lake, you can portage to Zenith Lake. You can also paddle into the Kelso River headed downstream toward Kelso Lake.
