Island Lake
Island Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 222.11 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 56°F
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 222 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 27
- Open water
- 208 days
Next lake in St. Louis County
Island Lake is a 222-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Island Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-28. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 14.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Island 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.
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Water Temperature
Island Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 55°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 58°F) and coldest in May (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 87 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Island Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Surface Area | 222 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 64% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Island LakePublic
- Janet LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Island Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2015-08-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 10.71 | 0.14 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 7.08 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.66 | 0.17 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.08 | 0.72 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.03 | 0.32 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.07 | 2.44 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
Pumpkinseed
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2015-08-17 survey
Island Lake is a 227 acre lake located 14 miles south of Hibbing, MN in the St. Louis River watershed. Island Lake has clear, moderately hard water with low phosphorus fertility. The variety of substrate types and aquatic vegetation provides good habitat for Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass and panfish. While most of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for 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 — IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Island (1817)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — IslandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.085 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (43 observations).
Estimated open water season: 208 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-04-05 (2000) | 1996-05-08 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-16 (2014) | 2015-11-29 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-07
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Island Lake
What is the water quality grade for Island Lake?
- Island Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 222.11 acres.
Is Island Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Island Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Island Lake?
- Island Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August, from 87 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Island Lake?
- Island Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet. The lake covers 222.11 acres.
What fish are in Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Island Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Island Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Island Lake thaw?
- Island Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 27. Ice typically forms around Nov 21. The open water season is approximately 208 days.
Are there boat ramps on Island Lake?
- Island Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Island Lake, Janet Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Island Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
69 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
MNPCA69 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate