Namakan Lake
Namakan Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 12159 acres.
Minnesota DNR surveys at Namakan Lake average 7.41 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 42 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated September 22, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–24 inches. DNR survey details →
- Area
- 12,159 acres
Next lake in St. Louis County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Why Namakan Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Namakan Lake, no water-quality sampling on record for this lake.
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Namakan Lake is a 12,159-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled recent years. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Namakan Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedElevated nutrients
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Namakan Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Trophic State Index: undefined.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) |
Where to stay near Namakan Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Namakan Lake in St. Louis 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 Namakan Lake
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 →
Minnesota DNR surveys at Namakan Lake average 7.41 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 42 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated September 22, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–24 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Namakan Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
42 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-22 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 10.60 | 0.78 lb |
| Walleye | 7.41 | 0.89 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.67 | 0.16 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Walleye
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-09-22 survey
Namakan Lake is a class 2 lake located on the Minnesota-Ontario border within Voyageurs National Park (VNP). The total surface area is 24,066 acres, of which 49% or 11,755 acres lie within Minnesota. Namakan Lake is typical of lakes within the Canadian Shield with soft, oligotrophic water and intermediate…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Namakan Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — NamakanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 12,159 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Namakan Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Namakan Lake
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Namakan Lake
Where is Namakan Lake?
- Namakan Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no water-quality sampling on record for this lake.
What is the water quality grade for Namakan Lake?
- Namakan Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 12159 acres.
Is Namakan Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Namakan Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Namakan Lake?
- Minnesota DNR surveys at Namakan Lake average 7.41 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 42 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated September 22, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–24 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Namakan Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Explore Namakan Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Lake Vermilion Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
Measurements for Namakan Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
Other records on this page
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder