Pelican Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota8,367 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Pelican Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 104 ft max depth
- Public access
Pelican Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 104 ft. Surface area: 8367.35 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 4.60 walleye per gill net at Pelican Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–17 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Pelican Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 100 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Pelican Lake is a 8,367-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 104 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Pelican Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 8,400 acres, Pelican Lake is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 19, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Pelican Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Pelican Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.3 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing17 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 19
- Deep water104 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water8,367 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pelican Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pelican 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 Pelican Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Pelican Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 14.3 ft. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 39 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Pelican Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pelican Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 61°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 62°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (62°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 355 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pelican Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pelican Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (33,113 cells/mL) on November 15, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 4.60 walleye per gill net at Pelican Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–17 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pelican Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
36 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-09 (Targeted Survey).
36 surveys on file · most recent 2025-09-09 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 25.61 | 6–17 in 2025-09-09 | 1.16 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 23.33 | 5–9 in 2024-08-12 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 11.98 | 2–4 in 2018-09-17 | |
| Spottail Shiner | 11.77 | 2–4 in 2018-09-17 | |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.26 | 6–16 in 2024-08-12 | 0.74 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.
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Bluntnose Minnow
Spottail Shiner
From the 2025-09-09 survey
Pelican Lake is typically stocked annually with 3.9 million Walleye fry. In 2024 and 2025, fry were stocked at roughly half of the typical rate (2 million) to evaluate if a reduced stocking rate can produce a successful year class of Walleye. Fingerling stocking is done on a contingency basis when fall electrofishing…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pelican Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PelicanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PelicanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PelicanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
104 ft
Surface area
8,367 acres
Shoreline
27.8 mi
Littoral zone
47%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Pelican Lake (Northwest)Public
- Halverson BayPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pelican Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pelican 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Pelican Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Pelican Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pelican 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.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.5 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.03 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 19
Earliest Mar 15, 2024 · Latest May 14, 2013
Most recent ice-out
Mar 15
2024
12 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pelican Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pelican Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for other on the Pelican Brook-TR; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 38 ft long.
- Surface area
- 8,253 ac
- Normal storage
- 149,842 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 170,275 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 27.8 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- County of Crow Wing
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00046 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Pelican Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0308-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Pelican Lake
Where is Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake is a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 104 ft. Surface area: 8367.35 acres.
Is Pelican Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pelican Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September, from 355 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake has a maximum depth of 104 feet. The lake covers 8367.35 acres.
What fish are in Pelican Lake?
- Fish species found in Pelican Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pelican Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pelican Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 4.60 walleye per gill net at Pelican Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–17 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pelican Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Pelican Lake thaw?
- Pelican Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19.
Does Pelican Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pelican Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (33,113 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pelican Lake (Northwest), Halverson Bay. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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
288 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA288 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
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate