First Crow Wing Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota522 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for First Crow Wing Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 15 ft max depth
First Crow Wing Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 522.02 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on May 28, 2024 caught 1.17 walleye per gill net at First Crow Wing Lake. DNR survey details →
First Crow Wing Lake is a 522-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet (4-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, First Crow Wing Lake ranks #64 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
First Crow Wing Lake covers about 520 acres in Hubbard County. The median ice-out date is April 16, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around First Crow Wing Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What First Crow Wing Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing17 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 16
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. First Crow Wing Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether First Crow Wing 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 First Crow Wing Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for First Crow Wing 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 5.9 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.9 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 30µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.9µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about First Crow Wing Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on May 28, 2024 caught 1.17 walleye per gill net at First Crow Wing Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows First Crow Wing Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-05-28 (Standard Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2024-05-28 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 27.31 | 5–7 in 2024-05-28 | 0.1 lb |
| Bluegill | 12.64 | 3–9 in 2024-05-28 | 0.31 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.48 | 10–31 in 2024-05-28 | 2.02 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 6.04 | 10–15 in 2024-05-28 | 0.93 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.80 | 13–20 in 2024-05-28 | 2.22 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Northern Pike
Brown Bullhead
From the 2024-05-28 survey
First Crow Wing Lake is located seven miles east of Hubbard in southern Hubbard County. First Crow Wing is part of a chain of lakes running from Eleventh Crow Wing Lake at the headwaters, down to First Crow Wing Lake. First Crow Wing Lake has a surface area of 522 acres and a maximum depth of 15 feet. A DNR-owned…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for First Crow Wing Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — First Crow WingFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — First Crow WingFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
15 ft
Average depth
4 ft
Surface area
522 acres
Shoreline
4.4 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
243 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,352 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near First Crow Wing Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near First Crow Wing Lake in Hubbard 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 First Crow Wing Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing First Crow Wing Lake
- → First Crow Wing Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → First Crow Wing Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → First Crow Wing Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from First Crow Wing 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: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-7.26 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-5.07 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 16
Earliest Apr 9, 2005 · Latest Apr 21, 2019
Typical ice-in
Nov 15
Earliest Nov 8, 2019 · Latest Dec 1, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 21
2019
10 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
First Crow Wing Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN29-0086-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about First Crow Wing Lake
Where is First Crow Wing Lake?
- First Crow Wing Lake is a lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of First Crow Wing Lake?
- First Crow Wing Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 522.02 acres.
Is First Crow Wing Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. First Crow Wing Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is First Crow Wing Lake?
- First Crow Wing Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet and an average depth of 4 feet. The lake covers 522.02 acres.
What fish are in First Crow Wing Lake?
- Fish species found in First Crow Wing Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. First Crow Wing Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at First Crow Wing Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on May 28, 2024 caught 1.17 walleye per gill net at First Crow Wing Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows First Crow Wing Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does First Crow Wing Lake thaw?
- First Crow Wing Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Nov 15. The open water season is approximately 213 days.
Can I fish at First Crow Wing Lake?
- Public access to First Crow Wing 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 First Crow Wing Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Hubbard County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
55 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
MNPCA55 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 (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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate