Little Moose Lake
Little Moose Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 288.72 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 289 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Why Little Moose 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 Little Moose 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.
Little Moose Lake is a 289-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-07-24. 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 Little Moose Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Little Moose Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Moose 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Moose Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 289 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Moose LakePublic
- Moose LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Moose Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-05-27 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 12.75 | 0.12 lb |
| CNM | 9.73 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 6.74 | — |
| BCS | 6.49 | — |
| LES | 4.59 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.38 | 1.2 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.
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-05-27 survey
Little Moose Lake is located 12 miles northeast of Deer River, Minnesota. The 271-acre lake has 123 littoral acres, a maximum depth of 23 feet. Little Moose is managed primarily for Black Crappie and Bluegill while secondarily for Muskie, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Spring targeted sampling for panfish had…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Moose Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little MooseFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Moose (0607)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little MoosePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.062 m/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Moose 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 MN31-0722-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.41 km)
Graded lakes near Little Moose Lake
Little Moose Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Little Moose Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Moose Lake?
- Little Moose Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 288.72 acres.
Is Little Moose Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Little Moose 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 Little Moose Lake?
- Little Moose Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 288.72 acres.
What fish are in Little Moose Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Moose Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Moose Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Little Moose Lake?
- Little Moose Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Moose Lake, Moose Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Moose Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA7 samples · 2020–2023
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory