Little Wolf Lake
Cass County, Minnesota525 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Wolf Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 24 ft max depth
- Public access
Little Wolf Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 524.59 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 5, 2024 caught 3.44 walleye per gill net at Little Wolf Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Wolf Lake is a 525-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet (12-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Little Wolf Lake ranks #101 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Little Wolf Lake covers about 520 acres in Cass County. The median ice-out date is April 11, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Little Wolf Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Little Wolf Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 11
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
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 Wolf 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 Wolf Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Wolf Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus 26.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.7 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 26.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 12.7µg/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 Wolf Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Wolf Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°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 (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 65 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Wolf Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 5, 2024 caught 3.44 walleye per gill net at Little Wolf Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Wolf Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-05 (Standard Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2024-08-05 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 56.63 | 4–9 in 2024-08-05 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 14.70 | 6–16 in 2024-08-05 | 1.01 lb |
| Bluegill | 9.76 | 3–7 in 2024-08-05 | 0.21 lb |
| Muskellunge | 8.27 | 20–39 in 2024-08-05 | 8.93 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 8.11 |
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
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Muskellunge
From the 2024-08-05 survey
Little Wolf Lake is a 528-acre lake with a maximum depth of 24 feet located near the town of Cass Lake on the Hubbard/Cass county line. The public access is township-owned and located on the northwest side of the lake. The unimproved ramp results in limited access for larger boats due to landing design, water depths…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Wolf 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 WolfFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little WolfFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little WolfPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
24 ft
Average depth
11.9 ft
Surface area
525 acres
Shoreline
4.3 mi
Littoral zone
47%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
9 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,299 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Wolf Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Wolf Lake in Cass 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 Wolf Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Little Wolf Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Wolf Lake
- → Little Wolf Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Wolf Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Wolf Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Wolf Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2024–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+7 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+7.4 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 11
Earliest Mar 17, 2024 · Latest May 7, 2022
Most recent ice-out
Apr 22
2025
6 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Little Wolf Lake
Where is Little Wolf Lake?
- Little Wolf Lake is a lake in Cass 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 Wolf Lake?
- Little Wolf Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 524.59 acres.
Is Little Wolf 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 Wolf Lake?
- Little Wolf Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 65 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Wolf Lake?
- Little Wolf Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet and an average depth of 11.9 feet. The lake covers 524.59 acres.
What fish are in Little Wolf Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Wolf Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Wolf Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Wolf Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 5, 2024 caught 3.44 walleye per gill net at Little Wolf Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Wolf Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Little Wolf Lake thaw?
- Little Wolf Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 11.
Can I fish at Little Wolf Lake?
- Public access to Little Wolf 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 Wolf Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Cass County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Compare Little Wolf Lake With Nearby Lakes
Beltrami County · 3.5 ft
Cass County · 13.6 ft
Hubbard County · 11.5 ft
Beltrami County · 9 ft
Beltrami County · 15 ft
Hubbard County · 18 ft
Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate