Coon Lake vs Linwood Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Coon Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Linwood Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Anoka County, Minnesota.
Both Coon Lake and Linwood Lake sit in Minnesota. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any grade differences here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies grading them. The grades are close: Coon Lake (C) and Linwood Lake (D) are within one letter of each other on the LakeGrade rubric. The per-parameter sub-grades below will show where the small differences actually live.
With grades this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Coon Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5.7 ft.
Linwood Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Coon Lake | Linwood Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 5.7 ft | 3.9 ft |
| Phosphorus | 23 µg/L | 42.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.9 µg/L | 19.1 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,481 acres | 572 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 14 | 13 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Coon Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Linwood Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 5.7 ft vs 3.9 ft. For fishing diversity, Coon Lake also leads with 14 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.