Passenger Lake
Passenger Lake in Pine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 66.52 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Typical in August
- 67°F
- Max depth
- 22 ft
- Area
- 67 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Pine County
Why Passenger Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: 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 Passenger Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
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.
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 with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-03. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Passenger Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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
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Water Temperature
Passenger Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 22 ft |
| Surface Area | 67 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 87% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- McCormick LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Passenger Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-05-17 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 14.53 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 6.04 | 0.6 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.92 | 0.6 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.29 | 0.26 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.64 | 0.19 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.15 | 0.96 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
Yellow Bass
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.193 m/yr | 5 |
Nearby Lakes in Pine County
Frequently asked questions about Passenger Lake
What is the water quality grade for Passenger Lake?
- Passenger Lake in Pine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 66.52 acres.
Is Passenger Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Passenger 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 is the water temperature of Passenger Lake?
- Passenger Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August, 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.
Are there boat ramps on Passenger Lake?
- Passenger Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include McCormick Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Passenger Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory