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Sullivan Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Fish Trap Lake. Both are in Morrison County, Minnesota.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated

Fish Trap Lake and Sullivan Lake are both in Minnesota — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Fish Trap Lake versus Sullivan Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.

With readings this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.

Fish Trap Lake

Morrison County, Minnesota

Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.7 ft.

Sullivan Lake

Morrison County, Minnesota

Good clarity, visible to about 10.8 ft.

Side-by-Side Metrics

MetricFish Trap LakeSullivan Lake
Water Clarity9.7 ft10.8 ft Better
Phosphorus22 µg/L14 µg/L Better
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)7 µg/L5 µg/L Better
Maximum Depth42 ft57 ft Better
Surface Area1,164 acres1,103 acres
Public AccessYesYes
Fish Species1818
Trophic Statemesotrophicmesotrophic

A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.

Verdict

Fish Trap Lake and Sullivan Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Fish Trap Lake: 9.7 ft, Sullivan Lake: 10.8 ft) and what you want from the lake. Fish Trap Lake matches its peer on species count.

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Where to stay near Fish Trap Lake and Sullivan Lake

Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Fish Trap Lake and Sullivan Lake. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.

Top-rated places to stay near Fish Trap Lake and Sullivan Lake

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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.