Bang Lake
Bang Lake in Carlton County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 47 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 60.78 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 9 ft
- Area
- 61 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 4
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Bang Lake →
Next lake in Carlton County
Bang Lake is a 61-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Carlton County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet (6-foot average). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 21 other monitored lakes in Carlton County, Bang Lake ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 47 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 9.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 47 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.4 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Bang Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bang Lake in Carlton 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Bang Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Bang Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Bang Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 85 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bang Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9 ft |
| Average Depth | 6 ft |
| Surface Area | 61 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bang Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2001-08-27 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 108.00 | 0.16 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 11.39 | 0.16 lb |
| Bluegill | 2.75 | 0.38 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.33 | 0.41 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.08 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 1.00 | 0.25 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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.
Black Bullhead
Brown Bullhead
Bluegill
Black Crappie
From the 2001-08-27 survey
Bang Lake is 58 acres with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Bang Lake is located near Sawyer, west of Duluth on highway 210. There is a state easement in the northwest corner of the lake but most of the land is private (Tribal Land). The fish community is dominated by black and brown bullheads, however black crappie,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bang Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BangFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bang (0324)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.295 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +22.25 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.33 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (3 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-13 (2024) | 2014-05-01 (2014) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-13
EPA Impairment Status
Bang Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2019 EPA reporting cycle.
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FDL_101 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #22 of 22 lakes in Carlton County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Bang Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Carlton County
Frequently asked questions about Bang Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bang Lake?
- Bang Lake in Carlton County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 47 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 60.78 acres.
Is Bang Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Bang Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 9.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bang Lake?
- Bang Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 85 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bang Lake?
- Bang Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet and an average depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 60.78 acres.
What fish are in Bang Lake?
- Fish species found in Bang Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow perch. Bang Lake is located in Carlton County, Minnesota.
When does Bang Lake thaw?
- Bang Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 4.
Explore Bang Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
135 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa (MN)
FONDULAC_WQX135 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Color, APHA Platinum-Cobalt
- For determination of Copper by the Bicinchoninate method.
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate