Crooked Lake
Crooked Lake in Anoka County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 7.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 114.93 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 26 ft
- Area
- 115 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 4
- Open water
- 236 days
Next lake in Anoka County
Crooked Lake is a 115-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Anoka County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 26 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and channel catfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Anoka County, Crooked Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 9.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Crooked Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crooked Lake in Anoka 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.
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Water Temperature
Crooked Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Jan (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 529 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crooked Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 26 ft |
| Surface Area | 115 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 75% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Crooked LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crooked Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
19 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-07-19 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 8069.84 | 1.12 lb |
| Bluegill | 74.09 | 0.11 lb |
| BLH | 26.25 | 0.24 lb |
| Black Crappie | 11.27 | 0.15 lb |
| GOS | 5.50 | 0.06 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.94 | 0.44 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
From the 2021-07-19 survey
Crooked Lake is a 115 acre lake in Anoka County assigned to lake class 30. Primarily managed for Largemouth Bass, a special catch and release only regulation for Bass was implemented in 2002. Walleye and Channel Catfish have been stocked previously but these efforts were discontinued after 2015 since they failed to…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crooked Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CrookedFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CrookedFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CrookedPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.032 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.41 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.21 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (25 observations).
Estimated open water season: 236 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-03-10 (2017) | 2014-04-23 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 2001-11-02 (2001) | 2007-12-01 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-28
EPA Impairment Status
Crooked Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN02-0084-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 23 lakes in Anoka County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Crooked Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Anoka County
Frequently asked questions about Crooked Lake
What is the water quality grade for Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake in Anoka County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 7.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 114.93 acres.
Is Crooked Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Crooked Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 9.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 529 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 114.93 acres.
What fish are in Crooked Lake?
- Fish species found in Crooked Lake include black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Crooked Lake is located in Anoka County, Minnesota.
When does Crooked Lake thaw?
- Crooked Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 4. Ice typically forms around Nov 26. The open water season is approximately 236 days.
Are there boat ramps on Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Crooked Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Crooked Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
207 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA207 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate