Splake Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 12 Minnesota lakes

Trout species like Splake need cold, oxygen-rich water year-round — that constraint limits Splake to 12 lakes in Minnesota, mostly the deeper or spring-fed basins. Splake is narrowly distributed — only 12 lakes in Minnesota have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.

Trout presence is itself a water-quality signal: a Minnesota lake that supports a Splake population is almost certainly running cold enough and oxygenated enough to also support healthier overall water quality. Trout-supporting lakes are almost universally A- or B-grade — the cold, deep, well-oxygenated conditions trout need produce the higher grades almost as a side effect.

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Splake Lakes Map

Every Minnesota lake with documented splake, colored by water-quality grade.

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Best Splake Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Portage Lake	Cook	A	8.5 ft	55 ft
2	Bean Lake	Lake	A	9.8 ft	26 ft
3	Iron Lake	Cook	A	4.9 ft	19 ft
4	Erskine Lake	Itasca	A	18 ft	56 ft
5	Larson Lake	Itasca	B	21 ft	177 ft
6	Upper Estuary Lake	St. Louis	C	1.9 ft	55 ft
7	Long Lake	Aitkin	NR	10.8 ft	116 ft
8	Tofte Lake	Lake	NR	18.5 ft	73 ft
9	Esther Lake	Cook	NR	9.5 ft	35 ft
10	Kemo Lake	Cook	NR	17 ft	65 ft
11	Divide Lake	Lake	NR	10.1 ft	22 ft
12	Beaver Hut Lake	Lake	NR	3.4 ft	12 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have splake?

Splake are found in 12 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is A (Excellent).

What are the best splake lakes in Minnesota?

The best splake lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Portage Lake, Bean Lake, Iron Lake, Erskine Lake, Larson Lake.

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.