Bear Head Lake
Bear Head Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 661.98 acres.
- Clarity
- 11 ft
- Typical in August
- 62°F
- Max depth
- 46 ft
- Area
- 662 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 26
Next lake in St. Louis County
Bear Head Lake is a 662-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 46 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and green sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Bear Head Lake ranks #26 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus level: 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Bear Head Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bear Head Lake in St. Louis 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.
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Water Temperature
Bear Head Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 60°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 62°F) and coldest in Oct (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 692 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bear Head Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 46 ft |
| Surface Area | 662 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 12.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 56% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bear Head LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bear Head Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
18 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 14.75 | 0.17 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.80 | 0.77 lb |
| Walleye | 4.73 | 1.8 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.26 | 2.56 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.89 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.59 | 0.42 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Walleye
White Sucker
From the 2025-07-28 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Bear Head Lake, was conducted on July 28-July 30, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program (LBMA) staff. Nearshore sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bear Head Lake. 5 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Bear HeadFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bear Head (1647)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bear Head (1648)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Bear HeadFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Bear HeadPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.064 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.71 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.48 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (24 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-24 (2012) | 2013-05-13 (2013) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-29
EPA Impairment Status
Bear Head Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0254-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #26 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Head Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bear Head Lake?
- Bear Head Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 661.98 acres.
Is Bear Head Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Bear Head Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bear Head Lake?
- Bear Head Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in August, from 692 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bear Head Lake?
- Bear Head Lake has a maximum depth of 46 feet. The lake covers 661.98 acres.
What fish are in Bear Head Lake?
- Fish species found in Bear Head Lake include black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Bear Head Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Bear Head Lake thaw?
- Bear Head Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 26.
Are there boat ramps on Bear Head Lake?
- Bear Head Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bear Head Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bear Head Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
86 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA86 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate