Dago Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Dago Lake grades a B, with clarity at 12.8 ft and phosphorus readings still being added placing it above the Minnesota median. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Minnesota lakes fall. Dago Lake reaches 20 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. The lake's 118 acres and 1.9 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Among the 19 graded lakes in Pine County, Dago Lake sits at rank 6, above the county median.

No invasive species are currently listed at Dago Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Dago Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. A documented public access point at Dago Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.