Smith Lake
Smith Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 54 ft. Surface area: 490.77 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.1 ft
- Max depth
- 54 ft
- Area
- 491 acres
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 15
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Why Smith Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Smith Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Smith Lake is a 491-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 54 feet. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-08-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Smith Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.1 ft. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Smith Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Smith Lake in Crow Wing 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 Smith Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 54 ft |
| Surface Area | 491 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 37% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Terry's Boat HarborSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Smith 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-02 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKS | 72.33 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 62.78 | — |
| GOS | 33.21 | 0.08 lb |
| BNS | 31.90 | — |
| Bluegill | 21.71 | 0.16 lb |
| CNM | 15.47 | — |
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.
GOS
Bluegill
From the 2025-06-02 survey
Minnesota DNR Fisheries Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment program staff conducted an assessment of lakeshore habitat on Smith Lake on September 3rd 2025, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 55 survey sites evenly spaced 200 meters around the lake. Assessments were made…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Smith Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SmithFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Smith (0133)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-04-08 (2015) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2002-12-06 (2002) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2015-04-08
Graded lakes near Smith Lake
Smith Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Smith Lake
What is the water quality grade for Smith Lake?
- Smith Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 54 ft. Surface area: 490.77 acres.
Is Smith Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Smith Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Smith Lake?
- Smith Lake has a maximum depth of 54 feet. The lake covers 490.77 acres.
What fish are in Smith Lake?
- Fish species found in Smith Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Smith Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Smith Lake thaw?
- Smith Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15.
Are there boat ramps on Smith Lake?
- Smith Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Terry's Boat Harbor. Public access is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm the landing before you trailer a boat.
Explore Smith Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA1 sample · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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