Pig Lake
Pig Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 56 ft. Surface area: 195.78 acres.
- Clarity
- 17.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 56 ft
- Area
- 196 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 21
- Open water
- 224 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Pig Lake is a 196-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 56 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Pig Lake ranks #44 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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)
Crystal clear, you can see 17.2 ft down. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Pig Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pig 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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Water Temperature
Pig Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 66°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 169 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pig Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 56 ft |
| Surface Area | 196 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 38% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pig 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BCS | 19.75 | — |
| JND | 18.27 | — |
| Bluegill | 18.18 | 0.1 lb |
| BKF | 11.16 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 10.99 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 8.02 | 0.14 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 Perch
From the 2024-06-17 survey
Pig Lake is accessed through Whitefish Lake and seems more like a large bay than a separate lake. An old township road access on the south shore is now used by the Ideal Fire Department and is gated off; the gate is opened for winter access. Northern Pike were caught in moderate numbers (8.0/net) with an average…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pig Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PigFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.067 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.01 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (19 observations).
Estimated open water season: 224 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-04-04 (2000) | 2008-05-07 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2017-11-22 (2017) | 2004-12-13 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2008-05-07
EPA Impairment Status
Pig Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0361-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.96 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #44 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Pig Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pig Lake?
- Pig Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 56 ft. Surface area: 195.78 acres.
Is Pig Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pig Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pig Lake?
- Pig Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August, from 169 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pig Lake?
- Pig Lake has a maximum depth of 56 feet. The lake covers 195.78 acres.
What fish are in Pig Lake?
- Fish species found in Pig Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pig Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Pig Lake thaw?
- Pig Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 21. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 224 days.
Explore Pig Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
102 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA102 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate