Pleasant Lake
Pleasant Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 334.62 acres.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Typical in July
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 33 ft
- Area
- 335 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 25
- Open water
- 203 days
Next lake in St. Louis County
Pleasant Lake is a 335-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Pleasant Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Pleasant Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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)
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus level: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pleasant Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pleasant Lake in St. Louis 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 Pleasant Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Pleasant Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 29 field readings (2019–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pleasant Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pleasant Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (235,505 cells/mL) on November 15, 2025.
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 | 33 ft |
| Surface Area | 335 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 46% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pleasant LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pleasant Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-07 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 18.54 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 9.25 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.58 | 1.06 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.76 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.00 | 0.2 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.96 | 3.03 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
From the 2021-06-07 survey
Pleasant Lake is a 335 acre lake located four miles south of Eveleth. The lake has one access which is a concrete ramp off the Pleasant Grove Road. It has a maximum depth of 33 feet and brownish green colored water at the time of this survey. On June 7, 2021 Pleasant Lake was thermally stratified with a surface…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pleasant Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PleasantFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pleasant (1778)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PleasantPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (10 observations).
Estimated open water season: 203 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-04-14 (2015) | 2022-05-06 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-09 (2019) | 2007-11-21 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-06
EPA Impairment Status
Pleasant 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 MN69-0655-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Pleasant Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 334.62 acres.
Is Pleasant Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pleasant Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in July, from 29 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet. The lake covers 334.62 acres.
What fish are in Pleasant Lake?
- Fish species found in Pleasant Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Pleasant Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Pleasant Lake thaw?
- Pleasant Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Nov 14. The open water season is approximately 203 days.
Does Pleasant Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pleasant Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (235,505 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pleasant Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pleasant Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Lake Vermilion Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
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 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate