Little Star Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota49 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Star Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 30 ft max depth
- Limited data
Little Star Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 49.24 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 26, 2010 caught 5.50 northern pike per gill net at Little Star Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Star Lake is a 49-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Star Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water18 ft of visibility
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Deep water30 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 Little Star 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 Little Star Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Star Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. TSI 35.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 18ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading 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. | 35 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Little Star Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Star Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (63°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 19 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Star Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 26, 2010 caught 5.50 northern pike per gill net at Little Star Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Star Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2010-07-26 (Standard Survey).
2 surveys on file · most recent 2010-07-26 (Standard Survey)
16 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 58.09 | ||
| Bluegill | 12.32 | 3–7 in 2010-07-26 | 0.21 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 6.60 |
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
From the 2010-07-26 survey
Little Star Lake is a 50 acre lake located 5 miles southwest of Crosslake. The lake is part of a chain of lakes characterized as having hard water, low fertility, and very good water clarity. The maximum depth is approximately 30 feet and about 26% of the lake is less than 15 feet deep. Northern pike are the lakes…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Star Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little StarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
30 ft
Surface area
49 acres
Shoreline
1.5 mi
Littoral zone
26%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Star Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Star 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 Little Star Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Little Star Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Star Lake
- → Little Star Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Star Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Star Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Star Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.34 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.12 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Little Star Lake
Where is Little Star Lake?
- Little Star 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 Little Star Lake?
- Little Star Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 49.24 acres.
Is Little Star 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 Little Star Lake?
- Little Star Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 19 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Star Lake?
- Little Star Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 49.24 acres.
What fish are in Little Star Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Star Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Star Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Star Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 26, 2010 caught 5.50 northern pike per gill net at Little Star Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Star Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Little Star Lake?
- Public access to Little Star Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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.
Explore Little Star Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Crow Wing County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Brainerd Lakes area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Mille Lacs Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Little Star Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
41 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA41 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder