Crow Wing Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota379 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Crow Wing Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 26 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Crow Wing Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 378.93 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on September 2, 2025 caught 1.89 walleye per trap net at Crow Wing Lake. DNR survey details →
Crow Wing Lake is a 379-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 26 feet (11-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-02. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Crow Wing Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 14
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Crow Wing Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Crow Wing 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 Crow Wing Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Crow Wing Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Crow Wing Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Crow Wing Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in Jun (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (67°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 57 field readings (2016–2018) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crow Wing Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Crow Wing Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (285,759 cells/mL) on May 1, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on September 2, 2025 caught 1.89 walleye per trap net at Crow Wing Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crow Wing Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 2025-09-02 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2025-09-02 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 42.88 | 3–8 in 2025-09-02 | 0.13 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 37.39 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 31.93 | 5–8 in 2025-09-02 | 0.1 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.17 | 5–18 in 2025-09-02 | 1.45 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 15.25 |
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
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-09-02 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Crow Wing Lake was conducted on September 2-3, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crow Wing Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Crow WingFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Crow Wing (0203)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Crow WingFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Crow WingPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
26 ft
Average depth
11 ft
Surface area
379 acres
Shoreline
3.9 mi
Littoral zone
55%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,158 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Crow Wing LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near Crow Wing Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Crow Wing Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crow Wing Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 14
Earliest Mar 20, 2016 · Latest Apr 30, 1975
Typical ice-in
Nov 15
Earliest Oct 12, 1977 · Latest Dec 8, 1998
Most recent ice-out
Apr 28
2022
82 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Crow Wing Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0155-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Crow Wing Lake
Where is Crow Wing Lake?
- Crow Wing Lake is a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Crow Wing Lake?
- Crow Wing Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 378.93 acres.
Is Crow Wing Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Crow Wing Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Crow Wing Lake?
- Crow Wing Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, from 57 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2018). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crow Wing Lake?
- Crow Wing Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet and an average depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 378.93 acres.
What fish are in Crow Wing Lake?
- Fish species found in Crow Wing Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Crow Wing Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Crow Wing Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on September 2, 2025 caught 1.89 walleye per trap net at Crow Wing Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crow Wing Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Crow Wing Lake thaw?
- Crow Wing Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Nov 15. The open water season is approximately 215 days.
Does Crow Wing Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Crow Wing Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (285,759 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Crow Wing Lake?
- Crow Wing Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Crow Wing Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Crow Wing Lake?
- Crow Wing 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 Crow Wing Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
86 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA86 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
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