Middle Cullen Lake
Middle Cullen Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 405.19 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 48 ft
- Area
- 405 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 17
- Open water
- 228 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Middle Cullen Lake is a 405-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 48 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Middle Cullen Lake ranks #55 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Middle Cullen Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Middle Cullen 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.
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Water Temperature
Middle Cullen Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 42 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Middle Cullen Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 48 ft |
| Surface Area | 405 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 31% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Middle Cullen Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-09-03 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 25.17 | 0.12 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 19.01 | 0.77 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 18.89 | — |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 17.91 | 0.83 lb |
| LED | 9.76 | — |
| CNM | 5.05 | — |
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
Largemouth Bass
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2021-09-03 survey
Middle Cullen Lake is a 397 acre lake, with a maximum depth of 48', located 3 miles northeast of the town of Nisswa in Crow Wing County. Middle Cullen is located in the Crow Wing River watershed. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Ten 100' long sampling…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Middle Cullen Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Middle CullenFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Middle CullenFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Middle CullenPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.049 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.04 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (30 observations).
Estimated open water season: 228 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-13 (2024) | 2022-05-04 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-15 (2002) | 2001-12-19 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-13
County Ranking
Ranked #55 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Middle Cullen Lake
What is the water quality grade for Middle Cullen Lake?
- Middle Cullen Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 405.19 acres.
Is Middle Cullen Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Middle Cullen Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Middle Cullen Lake?
- Middle Cullen Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 42 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Middle Cullen Lake?
- Middle Cullen Lake has a maximum depth of 48 feet. The lake covers 405.19 acres.
What fish are in Middle Cullen Lake?
- Fish species found in Middle Cullen Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Middle Cullen Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Middle Cullen Lake thaw?
- Middle Cullen Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 228 days.
Explore Middle Cullen Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
121 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA121 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate