Lost Lake
St. Louis County, MinnesotaLimited DataOligotrophic
Lost Lake sits at the top of the Minnesota PCA grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Minnesota.
A TSI value of 32 puts Lost Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. The lake bottoms out at 44 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 124 acres, Lost Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 3.4 miles of shoreline. Within St. Louis County's 187 graded waters, Lost Lake sits at rank 14, near the top of the local distribution.
Lost Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery is panfish-dominated — bluegill, crappie, and sunfish among the 8 species documented for the lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 23 ft down. Trophic State Index: 32.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 23 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 32 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 44 ft |
| Surface Area | 124.07 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 39% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Lost Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Lost Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Lost Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.138 m/yr | 4 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #14 of 187 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2014-06-23 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 16.04 | 0.14 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.93 | 2.17 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.73 | 1.9 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.71 | 0.22 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.53 | 0.1 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.86 | 0.13 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
White Sucker
Northern Pike
Black Crappie
From the 2014-06-23 survey
Lost Lake is a 107 acre, ecological class 5 lake located off Co Rd 334 and 8 miles southeast of Eveleth. There is one public access with a gravel ramp in the southwest corner of the lake (parking is limited). Lost Lake has a maximum depth of 44 feet and clear water. Lost Lake was stratified on June 23, 2014 with a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lost Lake. 3 reports on file.
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LostFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lost (1785)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LostPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Lost 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 MN69-0556-00 · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Most recent sample: 2024-09-16
Monitoring stations: 1