Nisswa Lake
Nisswa Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 218.77 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.5 ft
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 219 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Nisswa Lake is a 219-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Nisswa Lake ranks #51 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 11.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Nisswa Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nisswa 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 219 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 55% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Nisswa LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Nisswa 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: 2025-06-09 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 33.47 | 0.15 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 10.81 | 0.18 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 9.55 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 8.70 | 0.25 lb |
| BCS | 5.90 | — |
| Northern Pike | 5.47 | 1.88 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
Pumpkinseed
Northern Pike
From the 2025-06-09 survey
Nisswa Lake is a 219-acre lake in the city of Nisswa in Crow Wing County. It is part of the Gull Lake Chain of Lakes, with a recently constructed access (2021) on the southeast shore. Northern Pike is a primary management species on Nisswa and a special regulation was implemented to achieve our management objective.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Nisswa Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — NisswaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Nisswa (0195)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — NisswaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Nisswa 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 MN18-0403-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.2 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #51 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Nisswa Lake
What is the water quality grade for Nisswa Lake?
- Nisswa Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 218.77 acres.
Is Nisswa Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Nisswa Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Nisswa Lake?
- Nisswa Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 218.77 acres.
What fish are in Nisswa Lake?
- Fish species found in Nisswa Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Nisswa Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Nisswa Lake?
- Nisswa Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nisswa Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Nisswa Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2020
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 (1)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory