Smith Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota43 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Smith Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Smith Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 43.24 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 27, 2011 caught 12.00 northern pike per gill net at Smith Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–32 inches. DNR survey details →
Smith Lake is a 43-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Smith Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing10 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Smith 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 Smith Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Smith 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 ft. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Smith Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Smith Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Aug (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (70°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Smith Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 27, 2011 caught 12.00 northern pike per gill net at Smith Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–32 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Smith Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2011-06-27 (Standard Survey).
2 surveys on file · most recent 2011-06-27 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 17.61 | 7–9 in 2011-06-27 | 0.19 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.04 | 12–32 in 2011-06-27 | 1.18 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.88 | 0.08 lb | |
| Bluegill | 3.50 | 5–9 in 2011-06-27 | 0.22 lb |
| Rock Bass | 1.96 | 0.27 lb | |
| White Sucker | 1.50 | 17–18 in 2011-06-27 | 2.66 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
Northern Pike
Bluegill
White Sucker
From the 2011-06-27 survey
Smith Lake is a 43 acre lake located 9 miles south of Grand Rapids, MN on the west side of Hwy 169. Inlets to Smith Lake include Smith Creek in the southwest corner and an unnamed, intermittent stream in the southeast corner. The outlet is located in the northwest. Smith Lake has a maximum depth of 25 ft and moderate…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Smith Lake. 3 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 (0780)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SmithPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Surface area
43 acres
Shoreline
1.4 mi
Littoral zone
83%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,266 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Smith 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 Smith Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Smith 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 Smith Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Smith Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Smith Lake
Where is Smith Lake?
- Smith 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 Smith Lake?
- Smith Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 43.24 acres.
Is Smith 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 Smith Lake?
- Smith Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Smith Lake?
- Smith Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 43.24 acres.
What fish are in Smith Lake?
- Fish species found in Smith Lake include bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Smith Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Smith Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 27, 2011 caught 12.00 northern pike per gill net at Smith Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–32 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Smith Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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 Smith Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Smith Lake?
- Smith 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.
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Where this data comes from
31 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA31 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory