Three Island Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota250 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Three Island Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 66 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Three Island Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 29 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 66 ft. Surface area: 250.26 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 11, 2012 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Three Island Lake. DNR survey details →
Three Island Lake is a 250-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 66 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including bluegill, largemouth bass, and northern pike. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Three Island Lake covers about 250 acres in Itasca County. The median ice-out date is April 20, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Three Island Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Three Island Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water29 ft of visibility
- Fishing7 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 20
- Deep water66 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Three Island 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 Three Island Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Three Island Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 29 ft down. TSI 29.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 29ft | 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. | 29 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Three Island Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Three Island Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in Sep (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2022–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Three Island Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 11, 2012 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Three Island Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Three Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2012-06-11 (Standard Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2012-06-11 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | 20.48 | 2–20 in 2012-06-11 | 0.96 lb |
| Bluegill | 15.48 | 2–8 in 2012-06-11 | 0.11 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.08 | 11–30 in 2012-06-11 | 2.67 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 1.55 | 3 in 2012-06-11 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 1.51 | 6–17 in 2012-06-11 | 0.52 lb |
| White Sucker | 0.85 | 20–22 in 2012-06-11 | 2.63 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.
Smallmouth Bass
Bluegill
Northern Pike
Yellow Perch
From the 2012-06-11 survey
Three Island Lake is a 235-acre lake located 5 miles east of Marcell, MN. The lake is moderately developed and has very clear water with a Secchi disk reading of 23 ft. Three Island Lake is deep with a maximum depth of 66 ft and is accessible by a portage trail from Crooked Lake. Previous water chemistry indicated low…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Three Island Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Three IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
66 ft
Surface area
250 acres
Shoreline
3.8 mi
Littoral zone
26%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,375 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Three Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Three Island 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 Three Island Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Three Island Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Three Island Lake
- → Three Island Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Three Island Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Three Island Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Three Island Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 20
Earliest Apr 9, 2017 · Latest May 6, 2008
Typical ice-in
Nov 28
Earliest Nov 21, 2014 · Latest Dec 4, 2006
Most recent ice-out
Apr 9
2017
7 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Three Island Lake
Where is Three Island Lake?
- Three Island 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 Three Island Lake?
- Three Island Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 29 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 66 ft. Surface area: 250.26 acres.
Is Three Island 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 Three Island Lake?
- Three Island Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in September, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Three Island Lake?
- Three Island Lake has a maximum depth of 66 feet. The lake covers 250.26 acres.
What fish are in Three Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Three Island Lake include bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Three Island Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Three Island Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 11, 2012 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Three Island Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Three Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Three Island Lake thaw?
- Three Island Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 222 days.
Can I fish at Three Island Lake?
- Public access to Three Island Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
Explore Three Island Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA29 samples · 2020–2022
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate