Sturgeon Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Sturgeon Lake pulls an A: clarity at 16.0 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Minnesota. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Trophically, Sturgeon Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. The lake bottoms out at 40 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 1,706 acres, Sturgeon Lake is one of the larger lakes in Pine County, with 9.6 miles of shoreline supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Within Pine County's 19 graded waters, Sturgeon Lake sits at rank 1, near the top of the local distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Sturgeon Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 15 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Ice-out has been recorded 5 times at Sturgeon Lake, with a median around Apr 25. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.