Coon-Sandwick Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota594 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Coon-Sandwick Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Coon-Sandwick Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 593.56 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 1.50 walleye per gill net at Coon-Sandwick Lake. DNR survey details →
Coon-Sandwick Lake is a 594-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Coon-Sandwick Lake ranks #41 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Coon-Sandwick Lake covers about 590 acres in Itasca County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Coon-Sandwick Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Coon-Sandwick Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.7 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing9 species recorded
- Deep water36 ft surveyed max depth
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. Coon-Sandwick Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Coon-Sandwick 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 Coon-Sandwick Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Coon-Sandwick Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.7 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.6 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.7ft | 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) | 3.6µg/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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Coon-Sandwick Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Coon-Sandwick Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (66°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 60 field readings (2021–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Coon-Sandwick Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 1.50 walleye per gill net at Coon-Sandwick Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Coon-Sandwick Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. 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 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-11 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 14.45 | 2–8 in 2022-07-11 | 0.19 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.13 | 5–7 in 2022-07-11 | 0.13 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.10 | 11–31 in 2022-07-11 | 1.74 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.01 | 3–7 in 2022-07-11 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 1.81 | 6–19 in 2022-07-11 | 1.27 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.78 | 3–9 in 2022-07-11 | 0.32 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
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Pumpkinseed
From the 2022-07-11 survey
Coon-Sandwick Lake is a 627-acre lake located six miles southeast of Bigfork in north-central Itasca County. The lake is located entirely within Scenic State Park and there is no residential development on the lakeshore, other than the State Park campgrounds. Two boat accesses and a fishing pier are located within the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Coon-Sandwick Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Coon-SandwickFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Coon-SandwickFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Coon-SandwickPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
36 ft
Surface area
594 acres
Shoreline
9.3 mi
Littoral zone
85%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Coon Lake (North)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 Coon-Sandwick Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Coon-Sandwick 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 Coon-Sandwick Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Coon-Sandwick Lake
- → Coon-Sandwick Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Coon-Sandwick Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Coon-Sandwick Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Coon-Sandwick Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
EPA Impairment Status
Coon-Sandwick Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0524-01 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Coon-Sandwick Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Mdnr Scenic State ParkBigfork · 0.7 mi away · NPDES MN0049891Recent 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 Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Coon-Sandwick Lake
Where is Coon-Sandwick Lake?
- Coon-Sandwick 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 Coon-Sandwick Lake?
- Coon-Sandwick Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 593.56 acres.
Is Coon-Sandwick Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Coon-Sandwick Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Coon-Sandwick Lake?
- Coon-Sandwick Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September, from 60 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Coon-Sandwick Lake?
- Coon-Sandwick Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake covers 593.56 acres.
What fish are in Coon-Sandwick Lake?
- Fish species found in Coon-Sandwick Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Coon-Sandwick Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Coon-Sandwick Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 1.50 walleye per gill net at Coon-Sandwick Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Coon-Sandwick Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Coon-Sandwick Lake?
- Coon-Sandwick Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Coon Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Coon-Sandwick Lake?
- Coon-Sandwick 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 Coon-Sandwick Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA13 samples · 2021
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory