Crooked Lake
Lake County, Minnesota60 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Crooked Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 4 ft max depth
- Public access
Crooked Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 4 ft. Surface area: 59.98 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 14, 1983 caught 6.00 walleye per gill net at Crooked Lake. DNR survey details →
Crooked Lake is a 60-acre mesotrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 4 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Crooked Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Crooked Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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.
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.1 µg/L. TSI 48.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 10µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.1µg/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. | 48 | 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 50°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 71°F) and coldest in Nov (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (46°F) to its warmest (71°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 76 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crooked Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 14, 1983 caught 6.00 walleye per gill net at Crooked Lake.
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 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1983-07-14 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1983-07-14 (Standard Survey)
43 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 23.10 | 0.45 lb | |
| Yellow Perch | 4.25 | 0.14 lb | |
| Walleye | 3.30 | 2.8 lb | |
| Smallmouth Bass | 0.50 | 0.5 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.
From the 1983-07-14 survey
White Sucker population levels are high., The catch in both gill and trap nets being about two times the area average. Yellow Perch catch in gill nets was only 1/3 the area average, but quarter inch mesh trap nets indicate high reproduction. Walleye catch in gill nets was 75% of the area average, and fish were in good…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crooked Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ArtlipFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
4 ft
Surface area
60 acres
Shoreline
1.9 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,709 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Crooked LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Crooked Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crooked Lake in Lake 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.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Crooked Lake’s readings
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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: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.9 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Crooked Lake
Where is Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake is a lake in Lake 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 Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 4 ft. Surface area: 59.98 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 50°F at the surface in October, from 76 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 4 feet. The lake covers 59.98 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Crooked Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 14, 1983 caught 6.00 walleye per gill net at Crooked Lake. 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 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Crooked Lake?
- Crooked 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 Crooked Lake across LakeQuality
10.1 mi away
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Lake County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Crooked Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
44 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA42 samples · 2024–2025 - Eastern Regional Office
USFSEASTERN2 samples · 2021–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory