Passenger Lake
Pine County, Minnesota67 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Passenger Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 22 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Passenger Lake in Pine County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 66.52 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 17, 2017 caught 0.12 largemouth bass per trap net at Passenger Lake. DNR survey details →
Passenger Lake is a 67-acre lake in Pine County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 22 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Passenger Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing9 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Passenger 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 Passenger Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Passenger 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 8 ft. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Passenger Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Passenger Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 67°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (67°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 184 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Passenger Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 17, 2017 caught 0.12 largemouth bass per trap net at Passenger Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Passenger Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-05-17 (Targeted Survey).
3 surveys on file · most recent 2017-05-17 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 14.53 | 3–8 in 2017-05-17 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 6.04 | 7–13 in 2017-05-17 | 0.6 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.92 | 12–13 in 2017-05-17 | 0.6 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.29 | 4–10 in 2017-05-17 | 0.26 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.64 | 4–8 in 2017-05-17 | 0.19 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.15 | 15–20 in 2000-06-14 | 0.96 lb |
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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bullhead
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
From the 2017-05-17 survey
Passenger Lake is a 70 acre basin located southeast of the town of Sturgeon Lake in Pine County. Physical attributes include an abundance of littoral area (83%) and a small area of deeper water towards the northwest end of the lake. Despite an abundant amount of shallow water acreage, a fish winterkill of any degree…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Passenger Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PassengerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Passenger (0364)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
22 ft
Surface area
67 acres
Shoreline
1.6 mi
Littoral zone
87%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,047 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Passenger Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Passenger Lake in Pine 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 Passenger Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Passenger Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Nearby Lakes in Pine County
Frequently asked questions about Passenger Lake
Where is Passenger Lake?
- Passenger Lake is a lake in Pine County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Passenger Lake?
- Passenger Lake in Pine County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 66.52 acres.
Is Passenger 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 Passenger Lake?
- Passenger Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in October, from 184 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Passenger Lake?
- Passenger Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 66.52 acres.
What fish are in Passenger Lake?
- Fish species found in Passenger Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Passenger Lake is located in Pine County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Passenger Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 17, 2017 caught 0.12 largemouth bass per trap net at Passenger Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Passenger Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Passenger Lake?
- Public access to Passenger 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.
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Where this data comes from
19 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
MNPCA19 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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