Fox Lake
Fox Lake in Pine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 14.5 ft. Surface area: 200.34 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.7 ft
- Max depth
- 14.5 ft
- Area
- 200 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Pine County
Why Fox Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Fox Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Fox Lake is a 200-acre lake in Pine County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-27. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Fox Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 3.7 ft. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Fox Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fox Lake in Pine 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 Fox Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 14.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 200 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Fox Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2014-07-07 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 13.81 | 1.65 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 12.23 | 0.58 lb |
| Black Crappie | 7.44 | 0.27 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.09 | 0.18 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.53 | 0.27 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 3.71 | 0.68 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.
Largemouth Bass
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2014-07-07 survey
Fox is a 239 acre lake in northwest Pine County 3 miles west of Willow River. The lake lacks a designated public access but boat launching is possible from the township road on the west shore. Despite a maximum depth of only 14.5 feet, a significant winterkill has never been recorded. On a per acre basis, angling…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fox Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FoxFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Fox (0370)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.23 m/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Fox Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN58-0102-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Pine County
Frequently asked questions about Fox Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake in Pine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 14.5 ft. Surface area: 200.34 acres.
Is Fox Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Fox Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake has a maximum depth of 14.5 feet. The lake covers 200.34 acres.
Explore Fox Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA12 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder