Caribou Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota247 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Caribou Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 152 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Caribou Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 31 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 152 ft. Surface area: 246.5 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 0.67 largemouth bass per gill net at Caribou Lake. DNR survey details →
Caribou Lake is a 247-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 152 feet. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including bluegill, lake trout, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-31. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Caribou Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water31 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing7 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around May 7
- Deep water152 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Caribou Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Caribou 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 Caribou Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Caribou 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 31 ft down. TSI 28.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 31ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 28 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Caribou Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Caribou Lake typically sits around 50°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 51°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 52°F) and coldest in Jun (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (49°F) to its warmest (52°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 212 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Caribou Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 0.67 largemouth bass per gill net at Caribou Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Caribou Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-11 (Targeted Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-11 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 7.18 | 4–6 in 2022-07-11 | 0.1 lb |
| Rock Bass | 3.46 | 5–10 in 2022-07-11 | 0.3 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.34 | 6–12 in 2022-07-11 | 0.18 lb |
| Lake Trout | 2.91 | 7–32 in 2022-07-11 | 3.06 lb |
| Walleye | 1.67 | 2.52 lb | |
| Smallmouth Bass | 1.46 | 6–17 in 2022-07-11 | 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.
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Yellow Perch
Lake Trout
From the 2022-07-11 survey
Caribou Lake is located about six miles south of Marcell and in the Chippewa National Forest. Fish production is limited due to low fertility associated with oligotrophic conditions. Caribou Lake has a long history of trout management and has been primarily managed for Lake Trout since 1942. Management has consisted…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Caribou Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CaribouFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Caribou (0342)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CaribouFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CaribouPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
152 ft
Surface area
247 acres
Shoreline
3.5 mi
Littoral zone
18%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,378 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Caribou LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Caribou Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Caribou Lake in Itasca 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 Caribou Lake
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Follow Caribou Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Caribou Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
May 7
Earliest Mar 26, 2012 · Latest May 8, 2022
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Dec 1, 2011 · Latest Dec 7, 2021
Most recent ice-out
May 8
2022
9 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Caribou Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0620-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Caribou Lake
Where is Caribou Lake?
- Caribou Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Caribou Lake?
- Caribou Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 31 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 152 ft. Surface area: 246.5 acres.
Is Caribou Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Caribou Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Caribou Lake?
- Caribou Lake typically sits around 50°F at the surface in September, from 212 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Caribou Lake?
- Caribou Lake has a maximum depth of 152 feet. The lake covers 246.5 acres.
What fish are in Caribou Lake?
- Fish species found in Caribou Lake include bluegill, lake trout, largemouth bass, rock bass, smallmouth bass, white sucker, yellow perch. Caribou Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Caribou Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 0.67 largemouth bass per gill net at Caribou Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Caribou Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Caribou Lake thaw?
- Caribou Lake typically has ice-out around May 7. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 208 days.
Are there boat ramps on Caribou Lake?
- Caribou Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Caribou Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Caribou Lake?
- Caribou Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Caribou Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA40 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
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