Island Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota126 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Island Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Island Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 17.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 125.92 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 6.50 northern pike per gill net at Island Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–35 inches. DNR survey details →
Island Lake is a 126-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Island Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing9 species recorded
- Deep water36 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Island 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 Island Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Island Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 17.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 17.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10µg/L | Measured, not scored 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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Island Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Island Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (57°F) to its warmest (72°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 31 field readings (2016–2017) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 6.50 northern pike per gill net at Island Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–35 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-08 (Standard Survey).
3 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-08 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 45.40 | 3–8 in 2024-07-08 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 17.93 | 5–12 in 2024-07-08 | 0.33 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.83 | 5 in 1998-06-15 | 0.1 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.28 | 12–35 in 2024-07-08 | 1.73 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.34 | 3–7 in 2024-07-08 | 0.17 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.18 | 5–13 in 2024-07-08 | 0.36 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2024-07-08 survey
As far as larger game fish go, Largemouth Bass offer the best opportunity. Although electrofishing, the gear normally used to sample bass, was not used in 2024, an above average amount of fish were captured in nets (2.3/net). Sized ranged from 9.4"-17.3". Northern Pike numbers were average (6.5/net). Average length…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Island Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Island (0216)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
36 ft
Surface area
126 acres
Shoreline
2.6 mi
Littoral zone
68%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,191 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Island Lake in Crow Wing 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 Island Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Follow Island Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Island Lake
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Island Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Serpent Lake WwtpCrosby · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MN0058122
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Island Lake
Where is Island Lake?
- Island Lake is a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Island Lake?
- Island Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 17.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 125.92 acres.
Is Island Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Island Lake?
- Island Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 31 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2017). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Island Lake?
- Island Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake covers 125.92 acres.
What fish are in Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Island Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, yellow bullhead. Island Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Island Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 6.50 northern pike per gill net at Island Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–35 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Island Lake?
- Public access to Island Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA4 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder