Pillager Lake
Cass County, Minnesota205 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Pillager Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 39 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Pillager Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 205.01 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 10, 2023 caught 2.67 northern pike per gill net at Pillager Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–37 inches. DNR survey details →
Pillager Lake is a 205-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 39 feet. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Pillager Lake ranks #58 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pillager Lake covers about 210 acres in Cass County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Pillager Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Pillager Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Deep water39 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pillager 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 Pillager Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Pillager Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 15.1 ft down. Phosphorus 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.9 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 15.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.9µg/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. | 38 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Pillager Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pillager Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 77°F) and coldest in Jun (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 68 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pillager Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 10, 2023 caught 2.67 northern pike per gill net at Pillager Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–37 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pillager Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-10 (Standard Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2023-07-10 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 40.81 | 10–16 in 2023-07-10 | 1.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 27.28 | 2–8 in 2023-07-10 | 0.16 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.91 | 4–7 in 2023-07-10 | 0.18 lb |
| Rock Bass | 2.95 | 3–11 in 2023-07-10 | 0.27 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.57 | 12–37 in 2023-07-10 | 2.93 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 2.54 | 11–13 in 2023-07-10 | 0.93 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Rock Bass
From the 2023-07-10 survey
Pillager is a lightly developed, picturesque, little lake nestled into the hillside right off County Rd 1 north of the town of Pillager, MN. It has a park, swimming beach, fishing pier, and public access all at one location on the SW corner. Recent surveys suggest fishing for Tullibee (Cisco) is one of the better…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pillager Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PillagerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pillager (1440)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PillagerFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PillagerPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
39 ft
Surface area
205 acres
Shoreline
2.4 mi
Littoral zone
35%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,214 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pillager LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pillager Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pillager Lake in Cass 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 Pillager 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 whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pillager Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pillager Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pillager (completed 1917), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Crow Wing; gravity-type dam, 22 ft tall and 903 ft long.
- Surface area
- 768 ac
- Normal storage
- 4,608 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,853 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3,230 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Allete, Inc.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00608 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Pillager Lake
Where is Pillager Lake?
- Pillager Lake is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pillager Lake?
- Pillager Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 205.01 acres.
Is Pillager Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pillager Lake?
- Pillager Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 68 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pillager Lake?
- Pillager Lake has a maximum depth of 39 feet. The lake covers 205.01 acres.
What fish are in Pillager Lake?
- Fish species found in Pillager Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pillager Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pillager Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 10, 2023 caught 2.67 northern pike per gill net at Pillager Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–37 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pillager Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Pillager Lake?
- Pillager Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pillager Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pillager Lake?
- Pillager Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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.
Explore Pillager Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cass County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory