Pike Lake
St. Louis County, MinnesotaLimited DataOligotrophic
On the LakeGrade rubric, Pike Lake pulls an A: clarity at 18.0 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Minnesota.
A TSI value of 35 puts Pike Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. Pike Lake is unusually deep for Minnesota at 60 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. At 488 acres, Pike Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 4.9 miles of shoreline. Within St. Louis County's 187 graded waters, Pike Lake sits at rank 1, near the top of the local distribution.
Pike Lake is on the Minnesota infested-waters list for zebra mussels — boaters should follow clean-drain-dry protocols when moving gear to or from the lake. Walleye are documented at Pike Lake, one of 9 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Pike Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 14 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 24. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-28. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Trophic State Index: 35.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft |
| Average Depth | 25.6 ft |
| Surface Area | 488.26 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 28% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Pike Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Pike Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Pike Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
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: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.305 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (25 observations).
Estimated open water season: 221 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-25 (2012) | 2013-05-15 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-14 (2002) | 2024-12-11 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-23
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 187 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Pike Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Pike Lake With Nearby Lakes
St. Louis County · Grade D
St. Louis County · Grade C
St. Louis County · Grade C
St. Louis County · Grade D
St. Louis County · Grade C
St. Louis County · Grade C
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-08-19 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 27.88 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.00 | 1.28 lb |
| Walleye | 7.66 | 0.98 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.11 | 2.39 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.38 | 0.22 lb |
| Rock Bass | 3.92 | 0.23 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
Largemouth Bass
Walleye
White Sucker
From the 2019-08-19 survey
Pike is a 494 acre lake with 135 (27%) acres of littoral area and a maximum depth of 62 feet. The lake is located just north of Hermantown, MN and has a township administered, concrete, back-in access located off County Road #13. Walleye fry have been stocked in even years from 1982 through 2018. Pike Lake was last…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pike Lake. 5 reports on file.
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PikeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pike (0448)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pike (0514)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PikeFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PikePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
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 MN69-0490-00 · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate
Most recent sample: 2024-09-28
Monitoring stations: 3