Deer Lake

Deer Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. The lake's weakest score is on Secchi depth — the water looks more turbid than its phosphorus number alone would predict.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Deer Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. The lake's 50 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. With 1,855 acres of surface and 9.5 miles of shoreline, Deer Lake is a large water by Minnesota standards — recreational pressure is spread across a long shoreline. Among the 141 graded lakes in Itasca County, Deer Lake sits at rank 62, above the county median.

No invasive species are currently listed at Deer Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 15 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Deer Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 18 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 25. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.