Five Island Lake
Five Island Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 214.32 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 33 ft
- Area
- 214 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Five Island Lake is a 214-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet (12-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Five Island Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-17. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Five Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Five Island 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.
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Water Temperature
Five Island Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Sep (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Five Island Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 33 ft |
| Average Depth | 12 ft |
| Surface Area | 214 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 52% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Buttonbox LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Five Island Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-08-03 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 17.73 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 15.98 | 0.14 lb |
| GOS | 3.22 | 0.1 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 2.46 | 0.71 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.44 | 0.33 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 2.14 | 0.71 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
Yellow Perch
GOS
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2020-08-03 survey
Five Island Lake is a 175-acre lake in northeastern Itasca County located six miles northwest of Togo, MN. A county administered public access is located on the northeast side of the lake on Five Island Lake Road (off County Road 542), with parking for one rig. The access is at the bottom of a steep hill that is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Five Island Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Five IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Five Island (0793)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Five IslandPublic 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 | → Stable | +0.034 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.79 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.65 µg/L/yr | 3 |
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Five Island Lake
What is the water quality grade for Five Island Lake?
- Five Island Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 214.32 acres.
Is Five Island Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Five Island Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Five Island Lake?
- Five Island Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Five Island Lake?
- Five Island Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 214.32 acres.
What fish are in Five Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Five Island Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), white sucker, yellow perch. Five Island Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Five Island Lake?
- Five Island Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Buttonbox Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Five Island Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
90 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
MNPCA90 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory