Wolf Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota289 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Wolf Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 28 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Wolf Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 288.94 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Wolf Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–23 inches. DNR survey details →
Wolf Lake is a 289-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Wolf Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing8 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Wolf Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Wolf 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 Wolf Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Wolf Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.4 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.4µg/L | Measured, not scored 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. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Wolf Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Wolf Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–23 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wolf Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-22 (Standard Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-22 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 12.27 | 3–19 in 2024-07-22 | 1.14 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 8.35 | 2–18 in 2024-07-22 | 1.26 lb |
| Bluegill | 7.33 | 3–8 in 2024-07-22 | 0.24 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.79 | 5–6 in 2024-07-22 | 0.13 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.06 | 14–35 in 2024-07-22 | 2.25 lb |
| Walleye | 3.09 | 8–23 in 2024-07-22 | 1.49 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.
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-22 survey
Wolf is a 289-acre lake located eight miles west of Ely. It comparable to Armstrong and Low lakes in the Tower area. Water levels were moderate during the 2024 survey and maximum depth is 28 feet. Wolf was stratified during the survey, and a thermocline had developed at 12 feet. Oxygen levels were insufficient for…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wolf Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WolfFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WolfFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WolfPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
28 ft
Surface area
289 acres
Shoreline
4.5 mi
Littoral zone
50%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,388 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Wolf LakePublic
- Burntside Lake (South)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Wolf Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wolf Lake in St. Louis 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 Wolf 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 Wolf Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wolf Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+3.35 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.3 µg/L/yr2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Wolf Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0161-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Wolf Lake
Where is Wolf Lake?
- Wolf Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Wolf Lake?
- Wolf Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 288.94 acres.
Is Wolf Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Wolf Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Wolf Lake?
- Wolf Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 288.94 acres.
What fish are in Wolf Lake?
- Fish species found in Wolf Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Wolf Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Wolf Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Wolf Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–23 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wolf Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Wolf Lake?
- Wolf Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wolf Lake, Burntside Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Wolf Lake?
- Wolf Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Wolf Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Lake Vermilion Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Wolf Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
38 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA37 samples · 2020–2025 - Minnesota Department of Agriculture - Pesticide Monitoring
MNDA_PESTICIDE1 sample · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory