Six Mile Lake
Six Mile Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 68 ft. Surface area: 1323.03 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 63°F
- Max depth
- 68 ft
- Area
- 1,323 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cass County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Six Mile Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 60 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Six Mile Lake is a 1,323-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 68 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Six Mile Lake ranks #81 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-09. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Six Mile Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Six Mile Lake in Cass 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 Six Mile Lake
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Water Temperature
Six Mile Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 61°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 63°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 449 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Six Mile Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 68 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,323 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 46% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Six Mile Lake CampgroundPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Six Mile Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 79.77 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 33.64 | 0.17 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 31.84 | — |
| CNM | 10.37 | — |
| BNS | 8.70 | — |
| BKF | 8.38 | — |
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
From the 2025-07-21 survey
Six Mile Lake is a 1,323-acre lake with 606 littoral acres, 7.77 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 68 feet located southeast of Bena, MN in the Chippewa National Forest. A US Forest Service owned public access and campground is located on the northeast shore. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Six Mile Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Six MileFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Six Mile (1503)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Six MileFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Six MilePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.11 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #81 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Six Mile Lake
What is the water quality grade for Six Mile Lake?
- Six Mile Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 68 ft. Surface area: 1323.03 acres.
Is Six Mile Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Six Mile Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Six Mile Lake?
- Six Mile Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August, from 449 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Six Mile Lake?
- Six Mile Lake has a maximum depth of 68 feet. The lake covers 1323.03 acres.
What fish are in Six Mile Lake?
- Fish species found in Six Mile Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, cisco species, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Six Mile Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Six Mile Lake?
- Six Mile Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Six Mile Lake Campground. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Six Mile Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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State Parks Near Six Mile Lake
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Where this data comes from
78 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX48 samples · 2023–2024 - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
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