Crab Lake
Crab Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 419.79 acres.
- Max depth
- 57 ft
- Area
- 420 acres
- Public access
- No
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Crab Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Crab Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Crab Lake is a 420-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 57 feet. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-10-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Crab Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Where to stay near Crab Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crab 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 Crab Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 57 ft |
| Surface Area | 420 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 52% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Crab Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 5.33 | 2.03 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.00 | 0.06 lb |
| Rock Bass | 3.11 | 0.18 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 3.03 | 1.31 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.67 | 3.03 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.33 | 0.14 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.
White Sucker
Rock Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2025-07-28 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Crab Lake on July 28th, 2025, 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 this lake.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crab Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CrabFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Crab 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 MN69-0220-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Crab Lake
Crab Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Crab Lake
What is the water quality grade for Crab Lake?
- Crab Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 419.79 acres.
Is Crab Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Crab Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Crab Lake?
- Crab Lake has a maximum depth of 57 feet. The lake covers 419.79 acres.
Explore Crab Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement 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
MNPCA1 sample · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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