Pillager Lake
Pillager Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 15.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 39 ft
- Area
- 205 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cass County
Pillager Lake is a 205-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 39 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 15.1 ft down. Phosphorus level: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay 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.
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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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 39 ft |
| Surface Area | 205 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 35% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pillager LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pillager Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-10 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 40.81 | 1.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 27.28 | 0.16 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.91 | 0.18 lb |
| Rock Bass | 2.95 | 0.27 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.57 | 2.93 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 2.54 | 0.93 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.
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
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
County Ranking
Ranked #58 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Pillager Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pillager Lake?
- Pillager Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pillager Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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.
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.
Explore Pillager Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory