Pike Lake
Pike Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 814.43 acres.
- Clarity
- 17.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 814 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 24
- Open water
- 219 days
Next lake in Cook County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Pike Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Pike Lake is a 814-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including brook trout, lake whitefish, and northern pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Pike Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. 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 17.4 ft down. Phosphorus level: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Pike Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pike Lake in Cook 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
Pike Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 66°F) and coldest in Jun (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 133 field readings (2018–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pike Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pike Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (483,059 cells/mL) on May 27, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 814 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 27% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pike LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pike Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-24 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 19.67 | 0.24 lb |
| Walleye | 7.40 | 1.24 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 4.88 | 0.65 lb |
| White Sucker | 3.05 | 2.22 lb |
| LKW | 1.43 | 3.3 lb |
| Northern Pike | 0.78 | 2.9 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.
Yellow Perch
Walleye
Smallmouth Bass
White Sucker
From the 2023-07-24 survey
Pike Lake is an 814-acre lake located 9 miles west of Grand Marais. Public access is through a boat landing on the south side of the lake. It lies within the Lake Superior North watershed, draining to Lake Superior via Murmur Creek, Caribou Creek, and the Poplar River. Many different fish species have been…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pike Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PikeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PikePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.089 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.6 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.08 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (9 observations).
Estimated open water season: 219 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2006-04-20 (2006) | 2008-05-07 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-22 (2007) | 2004-12-04 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2008-05-07
EPA Impairment Status
Pike 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 MN16-0252-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 44 lakes in Cook County
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Pike Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 814.43 acres.
Is Pike Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pike Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August, from 133 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 814.43 acres.
What fish are in Pike Lake?
- Fish species found in Pike Lake include brook trout, lake whitefish, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Pike Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
When does Pike Lake thaw?
- Pike Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 24. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 219 days.
Does Pike Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pike Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (483,059 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pike Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pike Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
4.8 mi away · 30 ft
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cook County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
62 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
MNPCA62 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate