Pine Lake
Pine Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16.9 ft. Surface area: 323.58 acres.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 16.9 ft
- Area
- 324 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Pine Lake is a 324-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 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 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Pine Lake ranks #40 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-18. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus level: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pine Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pine 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
Pine Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 31 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pine Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 16.9 ft |
| Surface Area | 324 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pine LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pine 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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| GOS | 14.24 | — |
| CNM | 12.66 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 12.35 | 0.15 lb |
| BCS | 10.79 | — |
| JND | 7.22 | — |
| Bluegill | 5.77 | 0.19 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
Bluegill
From the 2019-08-19 survey
Big Pine Lake is a reservoir of the Pine River just south of Crosslake, MN. The rock dam that created Big Pine Lake built in 1970 that has required frequent costly repairs was replaced in the winter of 2020 with an arched-rock-rapids-style dam that allows for fish passage. This was made possible by a $1.2 million…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pine Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PineFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pine (0231)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PinePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.401 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.32 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pine Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Big Pine Lake (completed 1970), built primarily for recreation on the Pine River; rockfill-type dam, 9 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 400 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 576 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- County of Crow Wing and Trail and Lake
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN01591 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Pine 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 MN18-0312-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.68 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #40 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Pine Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16.9 ft. Surface area: 323.58 acres.
Is Pine Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pine Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 31 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake has a maximum depth of 16.9 feet. The lake covers 323.58 acres.
What fish are in Pine Lake?
- Fish species found in Pine Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pine Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pine Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pine Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Crow Wing County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Top lakes and where to stay in the Mille Lacs Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Pine Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
86 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA86 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 (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
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