Nichols Lake vs Pike Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Pike Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Nichols Lake (C, Fair). Both are in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
C
Nichols Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Murky, only visible to about 5.1 ft.
A
Pike Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Nichols Lake | Pike Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 5.1 ft | 18 ft |
| Phosphorus | 20.5 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 31 ft | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 418.67 acres | 488.26 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 12 | 9 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Pike Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Nichols Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 18 ft vs 5.1 ft. For more fish-species variety, Nichols Lake edges ahead with 12 documented species.