Bad Axe Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota303 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bad Axe Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 39 ft max depth
Bad Axe Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 303.26 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2010 caught 2.00 northern pike per gill net at Bad Axe Lake. DNR survey details →
Bad Axe Lake is a 303-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 39 feet (19-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Bad Axe Lake ranks #36 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Bad Axe Lake covers about 300 acres in Hubbard County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 20, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Bad Axe Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Bad Axe Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 20
- Deep water39 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bad Axe Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Bad Axe Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bad Axe Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 15.1 ft down. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 15.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Bad Axe Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bad Axe Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bad Axe Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2010 caught 2.00 northern pike per gill net at Bad Axe Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bad Axe Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2010-06-21 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2010-06-21 (Standard Survey)
16 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 84.99 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 33.31 | 5–11 in 2010-06-21 | 0.11 lb |
| Bluegill | 32.91 | 4–8 in 2010-06-21 | 0.18 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 14.50 | 4–7 in 2010-06-21 | 0.14 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
From the 2010-06-21 survey
Bad Axe Lake is located in central Hubbard County, north of the town of Emmaville. Bad Axe has a surface area of 271 acres and a maximum depth of 39 feet. There is no public access. Bad Axe provides angling opportunities for northern pike, black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. The Minnesota Department of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bad Axe Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Bad AxeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
39 ft
Average depth
19 ft
Surface area
303 acres
Shoreline
5.2 mi
Littoral zone
41%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,434 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Isle O' Dreams LodgeSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bad Axe Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bad Axe Lake in Hubbard 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 Bad Axe Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bad Axe Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.81 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.12 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 20
Earliest Mar 19, 2024 · Latest May 13, 2014
Typical ice-in
Nov 22
Earliest Nov 3, 1991 · Latest Dec 9, 2016
Most recent ice-out
Mar 19
2024
108 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Bad Axe Lake
Where is Bad Axe Lake?
- Bad Axe Lake is a lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bad Axe Lake?
- Bad Axe Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 303.26 acres.
Is Bad Axe Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bad Axe Lake?
- Bad Axe Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bad Axe Lake?
- Bad Axe Lake has a maximum depth of 39 feet and an average depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 303.26 acres.
What fish are in Bad Axe Lake?
- Fish species found in Bad Axe Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bad Axe Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bad Axe Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2010 caught 2.00 northern pike per gill net at Bad Axe Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bad Axe Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Bad Axe Lake thaw?
- Bad Axe Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20. Ice typically forms around Nov 22. The open water season is approximately 216 days.
Are there boat ramps on Bad Axe Lake?
- Bad Axe Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Isle O' Dreams Lodge. Public access is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm the landing before you trailer a boat.
Can I fish at Bad Axe Lake?
- Bad Axe Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Bad Axe Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
83 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA83 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate