Little Sturgeon Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota272 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Sturgeon Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 22 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Sturgeon Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 272.4 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Little Sturgeon Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Sturgeon Lake is a 272-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 22 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and golden redhorse. Public access is available. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Little Sturgeon Lake ranks #52 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Sturgeon Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 20
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Sturgeon 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 Sturgeon Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Sturgeon Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.8 ft. Phosphorus 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.6 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 21µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.6µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Little Sturgeon Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Sturgeon Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (54°F) to its warmest (72°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 52 field readings (2018–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Sturgeon Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Little Sturgeon Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Sturgeon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-12 (Targeted Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-12 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 5.41 | 5–9 in 2023-06-12 | 0.09 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.29 | 4 in 2023-06-12 | 0.16 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.52 | 17–30 in 2023-06-12 | 1.95 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.51 | 4–9 in 2023-06-12 | 0.27 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 1.78 | 10–12 in 2023-06-12 | 0.54 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.62 | 4–6 in 2016-06-13 | 0.22 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Northern Pike
Black Crappie
From the 2023-06-12 survey
Little Sturgeon Lake is located approximately 14 miles northwest of Chisholm, MN and within the Little Fork River Watershed. The 247-acre lake has 54 littoral acres with a 22 foot maximum depth, and is moderately developed along the 3.6 mile shoreline. A public access is located on the north side of the Sturgeon River…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Sturgeon Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little SturgeonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Sturgeon (1804)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little SturgeonFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little SturgeonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
22 ft
Surface area
272 acres
Shoreline
3.6 mi
Littoral zone
20%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
46 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,365 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
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Stays near Little Sturgeon Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Little Sturgeon Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Sturgeon Lake
- → Little Sturgeon Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Sturgeon Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Sturgeon Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Sturgeon Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2023).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+4.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 20
Earliest Mar 30, 2000 · Latest May 7, 2022
Most recent ice-out
May 7
2022
27 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Little Sturgeon Lake
Where is Little Sturgeon Lake?
- Little Sturgeon Lake is a lake in St. Louis 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 Sturgeon Lake?
- Little Sturgeon Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 272.4 acres.
Is Little Sturgeon 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 Sturgeon Lake?
- Little Sturgeon Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 52 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Sturgeon Lake?
- Little Sturgeon Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 272.4 acres.
What fish are in Little Sturgeon Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Sturgeon Lake include black crappie, bluegill, golden redhorse, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Little Sturgeon Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Sturgeon Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Little Sturgeon Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Sturgeon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Little Sturgeon Lake thaw?
- Little Sturgeon Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20.
Can I fish at Little Sturgeon Lake?
- Public access to Little Sturgeon 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.
Explore Little Sturgeon Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
23 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA23 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate