Crooked Lake
Douglas County, Minnesota284 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Crooked Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Crooked Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 284.21 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 6, 2022 caught 1.62 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Crooked Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–20 inches. DNR survey details →
Crooked Lake is a 284-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 35 feet (11-foot average). The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Crooked Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Crooked Lake covers about 280 acres in Douglas County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Crooked Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Crooked Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14 ft of visibility
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Deep water35 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Crooked 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 Crooked Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Crooked 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 14 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.6 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.6µg/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. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Crooked Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Crooked Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2011–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crooked Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 6, 2022 caught 1.62 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Crooked Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–20 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crooked Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-06 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-06 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 219.81 | ||
| Bluegill | 20.29 | 3–9 in 2021-07-06 | 0.18 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.89 | 4–20 in 2021-07-06 | 0.97 lb |
| Black Crappie | 7.31 | 7–12 in 2021-07-06 | 0.33 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.68 | 8–28 in 2021-07-06 | 1.56 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
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
Northern Pike
From the 2022-07-06 survey
This nearshore survey was conducted during summer 2022 to assess populations of non-game species and small game fish using backpack electrofishing and seining. Backpack electrofishing and/or seining were conducted at 10 stations, representing a variety of habitat types, along the shoreline of Crooked Lake. The survey…
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
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Crooked (0928)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CrookedPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
35 ft
Average depth
11 ft
Surface area
284 acres
Shoreline
6.2 mi
Littoral zone
34%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,362 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Crooked Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crooked Lake in Douglas 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 Crooked Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Crooked Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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.
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Crooked Lake
Where is Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 284.21 acres.
Is Crooked Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in September, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet and an average depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 284.21 acres.
What fish are in Crooked Lake?
- Fish species found in Crooked Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead. Crooked Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Crooked Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 6, 2022 caught 1.62 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Crooked Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–20 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crooked Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Crooked Lake?
- Public access to Crooked Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Crooked Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
62 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA62 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 (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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder