Dodo Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota92 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Dodo Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 53 ft max depth
- Limited data
Dodo Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 53 ft. Surface area: 91.89 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 10, 2000 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Dodo Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–18 inches. DNR survey details →
Dodo Lake is a 92-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 53 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Dodo Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Dodo Lake covers about 92 acres in St. Louis County. The median ice-out date is April 23, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Dodo Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Dodo Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.8 ft of visibility
- Fishing7 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 23
- Deep water53 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Dodo 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 Dodo Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Dodo Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.8 ft. Phosphorus 9.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.9 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 38 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Dodo Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Dodo Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Sep (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (68°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Dodo Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 10, 2000 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Dodo Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–18 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Dodo Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2000-07-10 (Standard Survey).
2 surveys on file · most recent 2000-07-10 (Standard Survey)
26 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 6.93 | 1–15 in 2000-07-10 | 1.69 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.00 | 3–40 in 2000-07-10 | 1.64 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.33 | 3–9 in 2000-07-10 | 0.29 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.50 | 11 in 2000-07-10 | 0.51 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 0.88 | 3–7 in 2000-07-10 | 0.2 lb |
| Walleye | 0.38 | 17–18 in 2000-07-10 | 1.11 lb |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Bluegill
Black Crappie
From the 2000-07-10 survey
Results of the 2000 lake survey indicate that Dodo Lake is currently dominated by small northern pike, bluegills, and largemouth bass. Northern pike catch rates are very high for lakes in this class, and most are of the "hammerhandle" variety. The bluegill population is also at historic highs thanks to two strong year…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Dodo Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DodoFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Dodo (1820)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
53 ft
Surface area
92 acres
Shoreline
1.7 mi
Littoral zone
39%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,365 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Dodo Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Dodo Lake in St. Louis 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 Dodo Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Dodo Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Dodo Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.91 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.29 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 23
Earliest Mar 15, 2024 · Latest May 6, 2022
Typical ice-in
Nov 21
Earliest Nov 10, 2017 · Latest Dec 9, 2016
Most recent ice-out
Apr 19
2025
26 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Dodo Lake
Where is Dodo Lake?
- Dodo Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Dodo Lake?
- Dodo Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 53 ft. Surface area: 91.89 acres.
Is Dodo Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Dodo Lake?
- Dodo Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Dodo Lake?
- Dodo Lake has a maximum depth of 53 feet. The lake covers 91.89 acres.
What fish are in Dodo Lake?
- Fish species found in Dodo Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Dodo Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Dodo Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 10, 2000 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Dodo Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–18 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Dodo Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Dodo Lake thaw?
- Dodo Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 23. Ice typically forms around Nov 21. The open water season is approximately 212 days.
Can I fish at Dodo Lake?
- Public access to Dodo Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Dodo Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Lake Vermilion Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
75 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA75 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate