Anderson Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota295 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Anderson Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 110 ft max depth
- Limited data
Anderson Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 110 ft. Surface area: 294.52 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 23, 2004 caught 2.50 walleye per gill net at Anderson Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–20 inches. DNR survey details →
Anderson Lake is a 295-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 110 feet (30-foot average). The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-07-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Anderson Lake covers about 290 acres in Itasca County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Anderson Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Anderson Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Deep water110 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Anderson Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Anderson Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Anderson Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.7 µg/L. TSI 48.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.7µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 48 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Anderson Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 23, 2004 caught 2.50 walleye per gill net at Anderson Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–20 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Anderson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2004-08-23 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2004-08-23 (Standard Survey)
22 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 2.53 | 1–9 in 2004-08-23 | 0.2 lb |
| Bluegill | 2.03 | 3–9 in 2004-08-23 | 0.29 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.52 | 14–22 in 2004-08-23 | 1.75 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.24 | 1–12 in 2004-08-23 | 0.61 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.16 | 8 in 2004-08-23 | 0.21 lb |
| Walleye | 1.03 | 7–20 in 2004-08-23 | 0.87 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Northern Pike
Black Crappie
From the 2004-08-23 survey
Anderson Lake is a walleye-centrarchid lake located about 10 miles southeast of Bigfork, MN. The lake has 274 acres, a maximum depth of 110 feet and a Secchi disk reading of 9 feet. Stocking of walleye, northern pike and largemouth bass has occurred only a few times since 1930. No fish have been stocked since 1973.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Anderson Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — AndersonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
110 ft
Average depth
30 ft
Surface area
295 acres
Shoreline
7.1 mi
Littoral zone
24%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,394 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Anderson Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Anderson Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Anderson Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Anderson Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Anderson Lake
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Anderson Lake
Where is Anderson Lake?
- Anderson Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Anderson Lake?
- Anderson Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 110 ft. Surface area: 294.52 acres.
Is Anderson Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Anderson Lake?
- Anderson Lake has a maximum depth of 110 feet and an average depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 294.52 acres.
What fish are in Anderson Lake?
- Fish species found in Anderson Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Anderson Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Anderson Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 23, 2004 caught 2.50 walleye per gill net at Anderson Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–20 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Anderson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Anderson Lake?
- Public access to Anderson Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Anderson Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Itasca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Anderson Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA4 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder