Sand Point Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota8,527 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Sand Point Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 184 ft max depth
- Limited data
Sand Point Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 184 ft. Surface area: 8526.51 acres.
Minnesota DNR surveys at Sand Point Lake average 8.78 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 42 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated September 30, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–26 inches. DNR survey details →
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Sand Point Lake is a 8,527-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 184 feet. The lake supports 21 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-07-25. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sand Point Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing21 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 19
- Deep water184 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water8,527 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Sand Point Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Sand Point 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 Sand Point Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Sand Point Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. TSI 50.
| Metric | Value | EPA condition class |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.6 ft | Measured, not scored |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota DNR surveys at Sand Point Lake average 8.78 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 42 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated September 30, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sand Point Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
42 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-30 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 8.78 | 1.1 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 7.69 | 0.41 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.06 | 0.11 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.47 | 3.6 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This 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.
Walleye
Tullibee (Cisco)
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2025-09-30 survey
Sand Point Lake is located within Voyageurs National Park, approximately 5 miles north of Crane Lake, Minnesota on the International border between Minnesota and Ontario. Sand Point is a Class 2, mesotrophic lake with a total surface area of 8,526 acres, of which 4,848 acres (57%) are in Minnesota. Its waters are…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sand Point Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Sand PointFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 184 ft |
| Surface Area | 8,527 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 148 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 33% |
| Public Access | No |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sand Point 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.
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (5 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-27 (2012) | 2014-05-14 (2014) |
Most recent ice-out: 2019-04-30
EPA Impairment Status
Sand Point Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0617-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Point Lake
Ask about Sand Point Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Where is Sand Point Lake?
- Sand Point Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sand Point Lake?
- Sand Point Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 184 ft. Surface area: 8526.51 acres.
Is Sand Point Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Sand Point Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Sand Point Lake?
- Sand Point Lake has a maximum depth of 184 feet. The lake covers 8526.51 acres.
What fish are in Sand Point Lake?
- Fish species found in Sand Point Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, burbot, cisco species, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake sturgeon, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, mooneye, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rainbow smelt, redhorse, rock bass, sauger, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Sand Point Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Sand Point Lake?
- Minnesota DNR surveys at Sand Point Lake average 8.78 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 42 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated September 30, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–26 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sand Point Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Sand Point Lake thaw?
- Sand Point Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19.
Explore Sand Point Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS Minnesota Water Science Center
USGS-MN9 samples · 2023
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate