Siseebakwet Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota1,210 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Siseebakwet Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 105 ft max depth
- Public access
Siseebakwet Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 1209.97 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 26, 2024 caught 29.83 walleye per gill net at Siseebakwet Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–23 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Siseebakwet Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 105 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Siseebakwet Lake is a 1,210-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 105 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and burbot. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Siseebakwet Lake ranks #27 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Siseebakwet Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water19 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 23
- Deep water105 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,210 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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 Siseebakwet 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 Siseebakwet Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Siseebakwet Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 19 ft down. Phosphorus 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.3 µg/L. TSI 32.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 19ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.3µg/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. | 32 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Siseebakwet Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Siseebakwet Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Aug (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 112 field readings (2016–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Siseebakwet Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 26, 2024 caught 29.83 walleye per gill net at Siseebakwet Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–23 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Siseebakwet Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-26 (Standard Survey).
13 surveys on file · most recent 2024-08-26 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 20.75 | 4–12 in 2024-08-26 | 0.26 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 16.20 | ||
| Walleye | 8.97 | 7–23 in 2024-08-26 | 1.88 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.
Yellow Perch
Walleye
From the 2024-08-26 survey
Siseebakwet Lake, also known as Sugar, is a popular Walleye fishery known for producing keeper sized fish, though the bite can be difficult due to exceptional water quality. To maintain the fishery, Walleye fingerlings are stocked in odd years. Rusty crayfish are an invasive species that has been documented at various…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Siseebakwet Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SiseebakwetFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Siseebakwet (0557)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SiseebakwetFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SiseebakwetPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
105 ft
Surface area
1,210 acres
Shoreline
5.8 mi
Littoral zone
24%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
16 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,325 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Siseebakwet LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Siseebakwet Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Siseebakwet 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.
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Siseebakwet Lake
- → Siseebakwet Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Siseebakwet Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Siseebakwet Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Siseebakwet Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.16 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.02 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 23
Earliest Apr 5, 2000 · Latest May 13, 1996
Typical ice-in
Dec 3
Earliest Nov 20, 2018 · Latest Dec 22, 2001
Most recent ice-out
May 8
2022
94 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Siseebakwet Lake
Where is Siseebakwet Lake?
- Siseebakwet 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 Siseebakwet Lake?
- Siseebakwet Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 1209.97 acres.
Is Siseebakwet 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 Siseebakwet Lake?
- Siseebakwet Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August, from 112 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Siseebakwet Lake?
- Siseebakwet Lake has a maximum depth of 105 feet. The lake covers 1209.97 acres.
What fish are in Siseebakwet Lake?
- Fish species found in Siseebakwet Lake include black crappie, bluegill, burbot, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Siseebakwet Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Siseebakwet Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 26, 2024 caught 29.83 walleye per gill net at Siseebakwet Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–23 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Siseebakwet Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Siseebakwet Lake thaw?
- Siseebakwet Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 23. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 224 days.
Are there boat ramps on Siseebakwet Lake?
- Siseebakwet Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Siseebakwet Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Siseebakwet Lake?
- Siseebakwet 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 Siseebakwet Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
122 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA122 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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 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