East Vermilion Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota39,272 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for East Vermilion Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- spiny waterflea
- 76 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
East Vermilion Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 76 ft. Surface area: 39272.25 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 1, 2025 caught 18.70 walleye per gill net at East Vermilion Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–25 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of East Vermilion Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 70 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
East Vermilion Lake is a 39,272-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 76 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-05. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What East Vermilion Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing17 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 30
- Deep water76 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water39,272 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. East Vermilion Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether East Vermilion 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 East Vermilion Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for East Vermilion Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6.5 ft. TSI 50.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 50 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about East Vermilion Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for East Vermilion Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (205,116 cells/mL) on June 27, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 1, 2025 caught 18.70 walleye per gill net at East Vermilion Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–25 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Vermilion Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
42 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-01 (Standard Survey).
42 surveys on file · most recent 2025-06-01 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 42.97 | 4–25 in 2025-06-01 | 1.15 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 17.64 | 5–12 in 2025-06-01 | 0.2 lb |
| Bluegill | 14.74 | 5–8 in 2025-06-01 | 0.18 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 11.50 | 2–17 in 2025-06-01 | 0.9 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 10.99 | 7–16 in 2025-06-01 | 0.81 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.
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Smallmouth Bass
From the 2025-06-01 survey
Management Summary Lake Vermilion is managed to support a high-quality, multi-species fishery driven largely by strong natural reproduction for most species. The lake is intensively monitored and managed by the Minnesota DNR through long-term annual surveys, periodic creel surveys, stocking programs for Walleye and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Vermilion Lake. 7 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — VermilionFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Vermilion (1654)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Vermilion (1655)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Vermilion (1656)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Vermilion (1969)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — VermilionFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — VermilionPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
76 ft
Surface area
39,272 acres
Shoreline
341.5 mi
Littoral zone
38%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Rice BayPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near East Vermilion Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near East Vermilion 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 East Vermilion Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at East Vermilion Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Follow East Vermilion Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing East Vermilion Lake
- → East Vermilion Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → East Vermilion Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → East Vermilion Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from East Vermilion Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 30
Earliest Mar 28, 2012 · Latest May 23, 1950
Typical ice-in
Nov 28
Earliest Nov 6, 1991 · Latest Dec 13, 1998
Most recent ice-out
Apr 13
2024
317 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
East Vermilion Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Cultural, Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0378-01 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about East Vermilion Lake
Where is East Vermilion Lake?
- East Vermilion 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 East Vermilion Lake?
- East Vermilion Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 76 ft. Surface area: 39272.25 acres.
Is East Vermilion Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. East Vermilion Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is East Vermilion Lake?
- East Vermilion Lake has a maximum depth of 76 feet. The lake covers 39272.25 acres.
What fish are in East Vermilion Lake?
- Fish species found in East Vermilion Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, burbot, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. East Vermilion Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at East Vermilion Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 1, 2025 caught 18.70 walleye per gill net at East Vermilion Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–25 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Vermilion Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does East Vermilion Lake thaw?
- East Vermilion Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 30. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 212 days.
Does East Vermilion Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for East Vermilion Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (205,116 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on East Vermilion Lake?
- East Vermilion Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rice Bay. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at East Vermilion Lake?
- East Vermilion Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 East Vermilion Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
225 measurements from 9 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
MNPCA225 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (9)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate