Crooked Lake
Crooked Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 77.08 acres.
- Clarity
- 15.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 65°F
- Max depth
- 35 ft
- Area
- 77 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 8
Next lake in Stearns County
Crooked Lake is a 77-acre mesotrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 35 feet (14-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 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Crooked Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-01. 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 15.5 ft down. Phosphorus level: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Crooked Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crooked Lake in Stearns 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 65°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 65°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 721 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crooked Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 35 ft |
| Average Depth | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 77 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 47% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Long/Crooked LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crooked Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-01 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 44.96 | 0.73 lb |
| Bluegill | 41.16 | 0.12 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.46 | 1.14 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 5.45 | 0.67 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 4.74 | 0.18 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.67 | 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Northern Pike
Yellow Bass
From the 2022-06-01 survey
Long and Crooked Lakes are small, interconnected lakes located three miles southwest of the City of Clearwater. Long Lake is 49 acres and has a maximum depth of 38 feet, while Crooked Lake is 65 acres with a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lakes are connected by a navigable channel on the south end of Long Lake. A…
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 — CrookedFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.084 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (5 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2007-04-03 (2007) | 2022-04-20 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2004-11-25 (2004) | 2006-11-30 (2006) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-20
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Crooked Lake
What is the water quality grade for Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 77.08 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 2.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August, from 721 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). 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 14 feet. The lake covers 77.08 acres.
What fish are in Crooked Lake?
- Fish species found in Crooked Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead. Crooked Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
When does Crooked Lake thaw?
- Crooked Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 8.
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 Long/Crooked Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Crooked Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
153 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
MNPCA153 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 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
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