Bad Axe Lake
Bad Axe Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 15.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 39 ft
- Area
- 303 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 20
- Open water
- 216 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Bad Axe Lake is a 303-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 39 feet (19-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 15.1 ft down. Phosphorus level: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Bad Axe Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 39 ft |
| Average Depth | 19 ft |
| Surface Area | 303 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 41% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Isle O' Dreams LodgeSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2010-06-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 84.99 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 33.31 | 0.11 lb |
| Bluegill | 32.91 | 0.18 lb |
| IOD | 26.75 | — |
| JND | 24.07 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 14.50 | 0.14 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.148 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.81 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.12 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (108 observations).
Estimated open water season: 216 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-19 (2024) | 2014-05-13 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-03 (1991) | 2016-12-09 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-19
EPA Impairment Status
Bad Axe 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 MN29-0151-04 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.99 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #36 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Bad Axe Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bad Axe Lake?
- Bad Axe Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Bad Axe Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bad Axe Lake?
- Bad Axe Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Bad Axe Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate