Sandwick Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota594 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Sandwick Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Sandwick Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 593.56 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 1.50 walleye per gill net at Sandwick Lake. DNR survey details →
Sandwick Lake is a 594-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Sandwick Lake ranks #42 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Sandwick Lake covers about 590 acres in Itasca County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Sandwick Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Sandwick Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.6 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing9 species recorded
- Deep water36 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 Sandwick 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 Sandwick Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Sandwick Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.6 ft. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.7 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.7µg/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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Sandwick Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Sandwick Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Sep (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 33 field readings (2021–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 1.50 walleye per gill net at Sandwick Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sandwick Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-11 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-11 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 14.45 | 2–8 in 2022-07-11 | 0.19 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.13 | 5–7 in 2022-07-11 | 0.13 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.10 | 11–31 in 2022-07-11 | 1.74 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.01 | 3–7 in 2022-07-11 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 1.81 | 6–19 in 2022-07-11 | 1.27 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.78 | 3–9 in 2022-07-11 | 0.32 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Pumpkinseed
From the 2022-07-11 survey
Coon-Sandwick Lake is a 627-acre lake located six miles southeast of Bigfork in north-central Itasca County. The lake is located entirely within Scenic State Park and there is no residential development on the lakeshore, other than the State Park campgrounds. Two boat accesses and a fishing pier are located within the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sandwick Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Coon-SandwickFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Coon-SandwickFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Coon-SandwickPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
36 ft
Surface area
594 acres
Shoreline
9.3 mi
Littoral zone
85%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Coon Lake (South)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Sandwick Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sandwick Lake in Itasca 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 Sandwick 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 →
Follow Sandwick Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sandwick 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.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Sandwick Lake
Where is Sandwick Lake?
- Sandwick Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sandwick Lake?
- Sandwick Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 593.56 acres.
Is Sandwick 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 Sandwick Lake?
- Sandwick Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September, from 33 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sandwick Lake?
- Sandwick Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake covers 593.56 acres.
What fish are in Sandwick Lake?
- Fish species found in Sandwick Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Sandwick Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Sandwick Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 1.50 walleye per gill net at Sandwick Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sandwick 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 Sandwick Lake?
- Sandwick Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Coon Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Sandwick Lake?
- Sandwick 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 Sandwick 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 Itasca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Sandwick Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Sandwick Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA13 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory