Wilkins Lake
Aitkin County, Minnesota349 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Wilkins Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 39 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Wilkins Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 348.86 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 29, 2024 caught 2.22 walleye per gill net at Wilkins Lake. DNR survey details →
Wilkins Lake is a 349-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 39 feet (20-foot average). The lake supports 14 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, 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 2025-10-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Wilkins Lake covers about 350 acres in Aitkin County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 17, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Wilkins Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Wilkins Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 17
- Deep water39 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 Wilkins 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 Wilkins Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Wilkins 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 13 ft. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | 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. | 40 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Wilkins Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Wilkins Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 66°F) and coldest in Apr (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (45°F) to its warmest (66°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 119 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wilkins Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Wilkins Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (9,290 cells/mL) on April 25, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 29, 2024 caught 2.22 walleye per gill net at Wilkins Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wilkins Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-29 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-29 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 63.10 | ||
| Bluegill | 32.66 | 3–9 in 2024-07-29 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.50 | 4–18 in 2024-07-29 | 0.77 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.44 | 5–10 in 2019-07-29 | 0.22 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-29 survey
Wilkins Lake is moderately sized (372 acres) with clear water and is located in central Aitkin County. There is a township-owned public access with a concrete log ramp without a dock, located on the east side of the lake. The surrounding area is a mixture of forest-covered rolling hills with various wetland types…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wilkins Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WilkinsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Wilkins (0086)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WilkinsFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WilkinsPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
39 ft
Average depth
20 ft
Surface area
349 acres
Shoreline
3.6 mi
Littoral zone
30%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
7 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,207 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Wilkins 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 Wilkins Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wilkins Lake in Aitkin 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 Wilkins 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 Wilkins Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wilkins Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 17
Earliest Mar 27, 2000 · Latest May 12, 2013
Most recent ice-out
Apr 11
2015
26 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Wilkins Lake
Where is Wilkins Lake?
- Wilkins Lake is a lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Wilkins Lake?
- Wilkins Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 348.86 acres.
Is Wilkins 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 Wilkins Lake?
- Wilkins Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September, from 119 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wilkins Lake?
- Wilkins Lake has a maximum depth of 39 feet and an average depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 348.86 acres.
What fish are in Wilkins Lake?
- Fish species found in Wilkins Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Wilkins Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Wilkins Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 29, 2024 caught 2.22 walleye per gill net at Wilkins Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wilkins Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Wilkins Lake thaw?
- Wilkins Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17.
Does Wilkins Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Wilkins Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (9,290 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Wilkins Lake?
- Wilkins Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wilkins Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Wilkins Lake?
- Wilkins 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.
Explore Wilkins Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Aitkin County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
79 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA79 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate