Bear Island Lake
Bear Island Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 62 ft. Surface area: 2362.47 acres.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Max depth
- 62 ft
- Area
- 2,362 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 28
- Open water
- 215 days
Next lake in St. Louis County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Bear Island Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 60 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Bear Island Lake is a 2,362-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 62 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and cisco species. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Bear Island Lake ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus level: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Bear Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bear Island 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Bear Island Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 62 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,362 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 28.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 37% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bear Island Lake (South)Public
- Bear Island Lake (Northeast)Public
- Bear Island Lake (East)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bear Island Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-31 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 28.94 | 0.18 lb |
| IOD | 6.72 | — |
| Rock Bass | 5.75 | 0.35 lb |
| JND | 5.71 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.31 | 1.15 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.77 | 0.29 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.
Yellow Perch
Rock Bass
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2025-07-31 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Bear Island Lake on July 31st, 2025. This was done to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bear Island Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Bear IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bear Island (1882)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Bear IslandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Bear IslandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.079 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (9 observations).
Estimated open water season: 215 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-04-12 (2017) | 2013-05-15 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2022-11-25 (2022) | 2016-12-10 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-09
EPA Impairment Status
Bear Island Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0115-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #18 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Island Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bear Island Lake?
- Bear Island Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 62 ft. Surface area: 2362.47 acres.
Is Bear Island Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Bear Island Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Bear Island Lake?
- Bear Island Lake has a maximum depth of 62 feet. The lake covers 2362.47 acres.
What fish are in Bear Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Bear Island Lake include black crappie, bluegill, cisco species, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Bear Island Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Bear Island Lake thaw?
- Bear Island Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 28. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 215 days.
Are there boat ramps on Bear Island Lake?
- Bear Island Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bear Island Lake (South), Bear Island Lake (Northeast), Bear Island Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bear Island 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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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Bear Island Lake
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Where this data comes from
70 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA70 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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