A Year on Daggett Lake
Daggett is a lake you pass through and a lake you come home to, and each season changes which of those it feels like.
Daggett Lake sits on the east side of the Whitefish Chain, joining Cross Lake to Little Pine. It is 258 acres, 23 feet at its deepest, and edged by 7.52 miles of winding shore. In summer it is a route. In fall and winter it becomes something quieter and more private. Here is how the year tends to unfold.
If you would like your own seasons on Daggett, start on the buyer page. If you already own here and are thinking about timing, request a private valuation.
Spring: ice-out
Ice-out timing varies from year to year, and the Minnesota DNR posts reported ice-out dates for lakes around the state. On Daggett, the first open water is the signal for early pike fishing in the shallow bays and for docks and lifts going back in.
Spring is also when curly-leaf pondweed, a non-native plant found in Daggett, is at its most noticeable. It grows early in the cool water and dies back as summer comes on. The DNR surveyed Daggett's plants in early May 2009, when curly-leaf was the second most common plant after coontail.
Summer: the connected lake
Summer is when Daggett's location matters most. Boats come and go between Cross Lake and Little Pine, and owners can reach the whole chain from their docks. Weekends are livelier. Early mornings and evenings bring back the stillness.
The water is moderately clear, at about 8.8 feet on the site's baseline figure, and the DNR noted sand bottom is common in the open, windswept areas. Floating-leaf beds of waterlilies cover a modest area, about 16 acres in the DNR's 2010 mapping. Fishing for pike, bass and bluegill carries on all season, with walleye best in low light.
Fall: color and calm
When the leaves turn, the many bays and points on Daggett's long shoreline frame the color from every angle. Boat traffic drops, the water cools, and pike and bass feed on the last green weeds. The DNR recorded 37 bird species along Daggett in its lakeshore survey, and fall migration adds new visitors.
Winter: ice season
With ice, Daggett becomes a quiet white bowl among the pines. Tip-ups for pike and jigging for perch and bluegill are the familiar winter pastimes. Areas near connections to other lakes deserve extra caution, so always confirm ice conditions locally before going out.
A bit of history
The Whitefish Chain is a reservoir as much as a set of lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the Pine River Dam at the outlet of Cross Lake, starting with a timber dam that went into operation in 1886, and rebuilt it in concrete between 1905 and 1907. The DNR notes that the chain was connected when the dam was completed in 1886. The Corps still manages water levels there today.
Long before that, the Ojibwe and Dakota lived in this country. The chain's whitefish gave it its name in translation.
The DNR describes Daggett Brook entering the north end of Little Pine Lake and flowing southwest through Daggett and Cross Lake to the Pine River. The sources I checked do not record how Daggett Lake itself got its name, so that story is left out here rather than guessed.
Nearby things to do
- Crosslake Recreation Area, run by the Corps of Engineers at the dam, with camping, swimming, picnicking and fishing.
- The Crosslake Historical Society, which displays restored buildings from the 1800s and 1900s.
- Paddling the Pine River State Water Trail.
- Boating the chain from Cross Lake to Rush-Hen and beyond.
Questions
When does the ice go out on Daggett Lake?
It changes every year. The Minnesota DNR posts reported ice-out dates statewide each spring.
Which lakes does Daggett connect to?
Daggett connects to Cross Lake and Little Pine Lake. From Cross Lake, boaters can reach the rest of the Whitefish Chain.
How did Daggett become part of the Whitefish Chain?
The Pine River Dam at Cross Lake's outlet, completed in 1886, raised water levels and connected the lakes of the chain.
More: Daggett Lake guide, Daggett fishing guide, selling on Daggett, and all Whitefish Chain lakes.
My family has a cabin on the Whitefish Chain in Crosslake, and I am happy to talk lakes in any season. Call or text 218.513.2677 or email david@whitefishpropertyfinder.com.
Sources: Minnesota DNR, Aquatic Vegetation Survey of Little Pine and Daggett Lakes (2009); Minnesota DNR, Sensitive Lakeshore Survey, Whitefish Chain of Lakes; Minnesota DNR, Ice-Out Dates; Minnesota DNR, Pine River State Water Trail.