Crooked Lake
Crooked Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 54 ft. Surface area: 905.49 acres.
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 54 ft
- Area
- 905 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 12
- Open water
- 233 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Crooked Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 70 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Crooked Lake is a 905-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 54 feet (24-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Crooked Lake ranks #19 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 onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Crooked Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crooked Lake in Crow Wing 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 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 85 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crooked Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 54 ft |
| Average Depth | 24 ft |
| Surface Area | 905 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 28% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-04 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 20.30 | — |
| Smallmouth Bass | 19.03 | 1.21 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.43 | 0.96 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 16.01 | 0.07 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.03 | 0.14 lb |
| Walleye | 8.73 | 2.14 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.
Smallmouth Bass
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
Bluegill
From the 2025-08-04 survey
Clearwater Lake is a 905-acre lake near the city of Deerwood in Crow Wing County. The public access is located 4 miles south of Deerwood on Crow Wing County Road 8. Smallmouth Bass is the primary management species. Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye and Black Crappie are secondary management species. A standard…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crooked Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClearwaterFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Clearwater (0067)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClearwaterFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClearwaterPublic 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 | ↓ Declining | -0.189 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.66 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.01 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (34 observations).
Estimated open water season: 233 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-04-03 (2017) | 2013-05-12 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-21 (2014) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2017-04-03
EPA Impairment Status
Crooked 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 MN18-0041-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.14 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #19 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Crooked Lake
What is the water quality grade for Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 54 ft. Surface area: 905.49 acres.
Is Crooked Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Crooked Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 85 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake has a maximum depth of 54 feet and an average depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 905.49 acres.
What fish are in Crooked Lake?
- Fish species found in Crooked Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Crooked Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Crooked Lake thaw?
- Crooked Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 12. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 233 days.
Explore Crooked Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
191 measurements from 6 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
MNPCA191 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (6)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate