Bear Island Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota2,362 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bear Island Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 62 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Bear Island Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 7, 2023 caught 7.92 walleye per gill net at Bear Island Lake. DNR survey details →
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. 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 2 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Bear Island Lake covers about 2,400 acres in St. Louis County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 28, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Bear Island Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Bear Island Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 28
- Deep water62 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,362 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bear Island 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 Bear Island Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bear Island Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.4 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Bear Island Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 7, 2023 caught 7.92 walleye per gill net at Bear Island Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bear Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-31 (Targeted Survey).
16 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-31 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 28.94 | 5–8 in 2023-08-07 | 0.18 lb |
| Rock Bass | 5.75 | 3–10 in 2023-08-07 | 0.35 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.31 | 8–19 in 2023-08-07 | 1.15 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.77 | 3–9 in 2023-08-07 | 0.29 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
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
Lake Details
Max depth
62 ft
Surface area
2,362 acres
Shoreline
28.5 mi
Littoral zone
37%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
35 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,407 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Birch Lake (West)Public
- Bear Island Lake (South)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Bear Island Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Follow Bear Island Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bear Island Lake
- → Bear Island Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Bear Island Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Bear Island Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Bear Island Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 28
Earliest Apr 12, 2017 · Latest May 15, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 29
Earliest Nov 25, 2022 · Latest Dec 10, 2016
Most recent ice-out
May 9
2022
9 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Island Lake
Where is Bear Island Lake?
- Bear Island Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bear Island Lake?
- Bear Island Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bear Island Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 7, 2023 caught 7.92 walleye per gill net at Bear Island Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bear Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Birch Lake (West), Bear Island Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Bear Island Lake?
- Bear Island Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Bear Island 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 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 readings
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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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate