Dark Lake

Details

DNR lake ID

69079000

County

St. Louis

Surface area

231 acres

Maximum depth

31 feet

Shallow water (littoral) area

138 acres, 60% of the lake

Shoreline

3.9 miles

Average water clarity

8.0 feet (Secchi disk, 2 readings)

Nearest town (DNR)

Buhl

Latest DNR fish survey

August 2016, standard survey

Surveys on record

6, since 1980

Game fish caught in the 2016 survey

northern pike 50, black crappie 35, largemouth bass 25, bluegill 19, yellow perch 10, pumpkinseed 5, walleye 2, rock bass 1

Fish species recorded

black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, sunfish, walleye, yellow perch, and 11 other species

Stocked in 2016

walleye fingerlings (3,754)

Dark Lake Public Water Access Site

trailer launch, concrete slab ramp, 1 dock, 6 trailer spaces, run by U.S. Forest Service

Fish consumption

Follow the northeast guidelines; fish from this lake have been tested

Size

100 to 499 acres

Deepest point

30 to 59 feet

Public access

Yes

Sources

• Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
  Checked September 24, 2026
• Minnesota DNR Public Water Access Sites
  Checked September 24, 2026

Survey catches show what DNR nets and electrofishing found on the survey date, not how the fishing is today. Check the current regulations and the Department of Health advice before you keep fish, and confirm access conditions before you tow a boat.