East Fox Lake
Crow Wing County, MinnesotaOligotrophic
East Fox Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Crow Wing County. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.
A TSI value of 37 puts East Fox Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. At 65 ft of maximum depth, East Fox Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. At 241 acres, East Fox Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 4.5 miles of shoreline. Within Crow Wing County's 120 graded waters, East Fox Lake sits at rank 1, near the top of the local distribution.
No invasive species are currently listed at East Fox Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. Walleye are documented at East Fox Lake, one of 15 fish species on record for the lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. 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.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-28. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 16.1 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.1 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | A |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Surface Area | 240.88 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 42% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for East Fox Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from East Fox Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ East Fox Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.144 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.3 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (4 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2006-04-13 (2006) | 2022-05-06 (2022) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-05
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 120 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near East Fox Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
19 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 33.94 | — |
| Bluegill | 16.40 | 0.18 lb |
| IOD | 11.66 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 6.27 | 0.11 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.68 | 0.66 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 5.21 | 0.26 lb |
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.
Bluegill
Green Sunfish
Largemouth Bass
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2025-07-28 survey
East Fox is a 240 acre lake that is located one mile west of Fifty Lakes in Crow Wing County. A public access is on the north shoreline. East Fox reaches depths of 65 feet, with 42% of the lake 15 feet deep or less. Water clarity measured during the 2025 survey was excellent, with a Secchi depth of 17 feet. A standard…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Fox Lake. 4 reports on file.
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — East FoxFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — East Fox (0230)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East FoxFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — East FoxPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate
Most recent sample: 2024-09-28
Monitoring stations: 3