Bear Head Lake vs Bear Island Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Bear Head Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Bear Island Lake (C, Fair). Both are in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
A
Bear Head Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft.
C
Bear Island Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Bear Head Lake | Bear Island Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 11 ft | 7 ft |
| Phosphorus | 19.5 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 46 ft | 62 ft |
| Surface Area | 661.98 acres | 2.4K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 9 | 13 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Bear Head Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Bear Island Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 11 ft vs 7 ft. For more fish-species variety, Bear Island Lake edges ahead with 13 documented species.