Deer Lake
Deer Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 1854.59 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 50 ft
- Area
- 1,855 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 25
- Open water
- 208 days
Next lake in Itasca County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Deer Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Deer Lake is a 1,855-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining 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. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Deer Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. 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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Deer Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Deer Lake in Itasca 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 Deer Lake
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Water Temperature
Deer Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°F) and coldest in Oct (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 66 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 50 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,855 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 9.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 72% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Elbow LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Deer Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
21 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 18.34 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 18.09 | 0.19 lb |
| CSH | 17.42 | — |
| BNS | 11.15 | — |
| BCS | 7.30 | — |
| GOS | 7.04 | — |
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.
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-07-28 survey
Deer Lake is a 1,748-acre lake about 14 miles east of Effie. It's part of a three-lake chain that flows west into the Bigfork River. The lake has a lot of shallow water (about three-quarters of the lake is less than 15 feet deep), with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Water clarity in 2025 was moderate, with about 11 feet…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Deer Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DeerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Deer (0647)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — DeerFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — DeerPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.134 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.39 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.27 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (29 observations).
Estimated open water season: 208 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2010-04-03 (2010) | 1996-05-13 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 2017-11-08 (2017) | 2016-12-08 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-10
EPA Impairment Status
Deer Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0334-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Deer Lake
What is the water quality grade for Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 1854.59 acres.
Is Deer Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Deer Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 66 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake covers 1854.59 acres.
What fish are in Deer Lake?
- Fish species found in Deer Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Deer Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
When does Deer Lake thaw?
- Deer Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Nov 19. The open water season is approximately 208 days.
Are there boat ramps on Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Elbow Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Deer Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
99 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA99 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
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