Pike Lake vs Rainy Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Pike Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Rainy Lake (C, Fair). Both are in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
A
Pike Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down.
C
Rainy Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Pike Lake | Rainy Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 18 ft | 9.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft | 161 ft |
| Surface Area | 488.26 acres | 210.2K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 9 | 17 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | mesotrophic |
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 Rainy Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 18 ft vs 9.5 ft. For more fish-species variety, Rainy Lake edges ahead with 17 documented species.