Bear Lake
Lake County, Minnesota44 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bear Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 31 ft max depth
Bear Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 44.37 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2008 caught 10.67 smallmouth bass per gill net at Bear Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–17 inches. DNR survey details →
Bear Lake is a 44-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 31 feet (24-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, and white sucker. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Bear Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bear Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17.4 ft of visibility
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water31 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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 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 Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bear Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 17.4 ft down. Phosphorus 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 17.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.7µg/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. | 38 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Bear Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bear Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 68°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (54°F) to its warmest (68°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 74 field readings (2022–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bear Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2008 caught 10.67 smallmouth bass per gill net at Bear Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–17 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bear Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2008-07-08 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 2008-07-08 (Standard Survey)
18 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 33.37 | 4–10 in 2008-07-08 | 0.18 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 6.80 | 5–17 in 2008-07-08 | 0.34 lb |
| White Sucker | 6.62 | 7–21 in 2008-07-08 | 1.25 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.06 | 3–6 in 2008-07-08 | 0.1 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
Smallmouth Bass
White Sucker
Pumpkinseed
From the 2008-07-08 survey
There is no public access to, or public land abutting Bear Lake. Self-sustaining populations of smallmouth bass, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and white sucker exists in the lake. Neascus and yellow grub were common in the smallmouth bass and yellow perch.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bear Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BearFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
31 ft
Average depth
23.8 ft
Surface area
44 acres
Shoreline
1.5 mi
Littoral zone
13%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,220 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bear Lake in Lake 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 Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Bear Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bear Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2022–2023). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-4.6 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-5.3 µg/L/yr2 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Bear Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Beaver Bay WwtpBeaver Bay · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MN0040754Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Lake
Where is Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake is a lake in Lake 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 Lake?
- Bear Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 44.37 acres.
Is Bear Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 74 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has a maximum depth of 31 feet and an average depth of 23.8 feet. The lake covers 44.37 acres.
What fish are in Bear Lake?
- Fish species found in Bear Lake include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, white sucker, yellow perch. Bear Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bear Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2008 caught 10.67 smallmouth bass per gill net at Bear Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–17 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bear Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Bear Lake?
- Public access to Bear 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 Bear Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 11.4 mi, nearest Gooseberry Falls (Middle Falls)
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Planning a trip around Apostle Islands?
Bear Lake is about 39 miles from Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Apostle Islands →More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Bear Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
36 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA36 samples · 2022–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder