Bachelor Lake
Bachelor Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 53.56 acres.
- Clarity
- 14 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 47 ft
- Area
- 54 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Aitkin County
Why Bachelor Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Bachelor Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Bachelor Lake is a 54-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 47 feet (12-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Bachelor Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Bachelor Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bachelor Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Bachelor Lake
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Water Temperature
Bachelor Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bachelor Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 47 ft |
| Average Depth | 12 ft |
| Surface Area | 54 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 56% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bachelor Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2001-07-18 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 9.97 | 0.91 lb |
| Bluegill | 9.15 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 6.33 | 0.11 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.64 | 0.21 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.88 | 2.17 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.50 | 0.53 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Pumpkinseed
From the 2001-07-18 survey
Bachelor Lake is a moderately fertile 53 acre lake located in Aitkin County just southwest of the city of Aitkin. The shoreline surrounding the lake has minimal development with most of the shoreline made up of marshland, undeveloped forest or woodland, and grassland. The lake is characterized by a larger, deep basin…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bachelor Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BachelorFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bachelor (0127)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.348 m/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Bachelor Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN01-0170-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.74 km)
Graded lakes near Bachelor Lake
Bachelor Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Bachelor Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bachelor Lake?
- Bachelor Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 53.56 acres.
Is Bachelor Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Bachelor Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bachelor Lake?
- Bachelor Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bachelor Lake?
- Bachelor Lake has a maximum depth of 47 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 53.56 acres.
What fish are in Bachelor Lake?
- Fish species found in Bachelor Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bachelor Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
76 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA76 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder