Jay Gould Lake vs Shoal Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Jay Gould Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than Shoal Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Itasca County, Minnesota.
B
Jay Gould Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft.
C
Shoal Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Jay Gould Lake | Shoal Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 13 ft | 8 ft |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 33 ft | - |
| Surface Area | 551.74 acres | 675.85 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | No |
| Fish Species | 16 | 0 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Jay Gould Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Shoal Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 13 ft vs 8 ft. For fishing diversity, Jay Gould Lake also leads with 16 species.