Lincoln County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 5 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
Only 5 lakes in Lincoln County carry an active grade. The county-level summary is therefore representative of those specific lakes, not necessarily of every water body in the county. On average, Lincoln County lakes grade D, with phosphorus loading and reduced clarity showing up across most of the dataset.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Shaokotan Lake (C) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Lincoln County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Shaokotan Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
Fishing in Lincoln County
DNR Reports (13)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Lincoln County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StayFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ShaokotanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PerchFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HendricksFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HawksnestFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — HendricksFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HendricksPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PerchFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PerchPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ShaokotanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ShaokotanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StayFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StayPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Lincoln County
5 lakes · 3 graded, 2 not rated3 graded lakes · 2 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CShaokotan LakeLincoln | C | 3 ft | 45 µg/L | 11.5 µg/L | No recent samples | 10 ft | ✓ Public |
| 2 | DPerch LakeLincoln | D | 9.3 ft | 96.5 µg/L | 18.3 µg/L | No recent samples | 16.2 ft | ✓ Public |
| 3 | FStay LakeLincoln | F | 1 ft | 178 µg/L | 37.4 µg/L | No recent samples | 6 ft | ✓ Public |
| NRHendricks LakeLincoln | NR | 6.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 9 ft | ✓ Public | |
| NRHawksnest LakeLincoln | NR | 6.6 ft | 213 µg/L | 14 µg/L | No recent samples | 7.3 ft | Carry-in |
NR = not rated: the monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar for a grade. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
Lake Match
Which lake suits how you actually use one?
Six questions — swimming, fishing, quiet, cabins, drive time — and a shortlist of graded lakes that fit, with the water quality behind each one.
Other Counties in Minnesota
See how Lincoln County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 39 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.