Pike Lake vs Shell Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Pike Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Shell Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
A
Pike Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down.
F
Shell Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Pike Lake | Shell Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | F (Very Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 18 ft | 3 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 488.26 acres | 493.3 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | No |
| Fish Species | 9 | 8 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | eutrophic |
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 Shell Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 18 ft vs 3 ft. For fishing diversity, Pike Lake also leads with 9 species.