Siseebakwet Lake
Siseebakwet Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 19 ft
- Typical in August
- 56°F
- Max depth
- 105 ft
- Area
- 1,210 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 23
- Open water
- 224 days
Next lake in Itasca County
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. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 19 ft down. Phosphorus level: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 32.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 19 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 32 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay 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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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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 105 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,210 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 24% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Siseebakwet LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Siseebakwet Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-26 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 63.29 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 20.75 | 0.26 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 16.20 | — |
| BNS | 11.14 | — |
| IOD | 10.94 | — |
| Walleye | 8.97 | 1.88 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
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.124 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.02 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (94 observations).
Estimated open water season: 224 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-04-05 (2000) | 1996-05-13 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-20 (2018) | 2001-12-22 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-08
County Ranking
Ranked #27 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Siseebakwet Lake
What is the water quality grade for Siseebakwet Lake?
- Siseebakwet Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Siseebakwet Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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.
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.
Explore Siseebakwet Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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
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