Ball Club Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota4,335 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Ball Club Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 85 ft max depth
- Public access
Ball Club Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 85 ft. Surface area: 4335.27 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 5, 2024 caught 0.07 walleye per trap net at Ball Club Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Ball Club Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 80 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Ball Club Lake is a 4,335-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 85 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Ball Club Lake ranks #50 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Ball Club Lake covers about 4,300 acres in Itasca County. It has 3 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 6, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Ball Club Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Ball Club Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16 ft of visibility
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 6
- Deep water85 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water4,335 acres
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 Ball Club 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 Ball Club Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Ball Club 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 16 ft down. Phosphorus 16.5 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 16ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 16.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Ball Club Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Ball Club Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 63°F) and coldest in May (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (48°F) to its warmest (63°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 336 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ball Club Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 5, 2024 caught 0.07 walleye per trap net at Ball Club Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ball Club Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-05 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-05 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 110.54 | ||
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 17.43 | 6–12 in 2022-08-08 | 0.41 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.68 | 4–8 in 2024-08-05 | 0.16 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 10.68 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 3.34 | 5–6 in 2024-08-05 | 1.65 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-08-05 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Ball Club Lake, which is located wholly within the Leech Lake Reservation, on August 5th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ball Club Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Ball ClubFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Ball Club (0656)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Ball ClubFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Ball ClubPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
85 ft
Surface area
4,335 acres
Shoreline
19.5 mi
Littoral zone
23%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
51 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,263 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Ball Club Lake (West)Public
- Ball Club Lake (South)Public
- Hundred Acre Wood ResortSemi-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 Ball Club Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ball Club Lake in Itasca 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 Ball Club 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Ball Club Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Follow Ball Club Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ball Club 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 readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2024–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-3 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 6
Earliest Mar 27, 2012 · Latest Apr 26, 2019
Typical ice-in
Dec 3
Earliest Nov 20, 2018 · Latest Dec 2, 2020
Most recent ice-out
Apr 6
2021
7 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Ball Club Lake
Where is Ball Club Lake?
- Ball Club Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Ball Club Lake?
- Ball Club Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 85 ft. Surface area: 4335.27 acres.
Is Ball Club 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 Ball Club Lake?
- Ball Club Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, from 336 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ball Club Lake?
- Ball Club Lake has a maximum depth of 85 feet. The lake covers 4335.27 acres.
What fish are in Ball Club Lake?
- Fish species found in Ball Club Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Ball Club Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Ball Club Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 5, 2024 caught 0.07 walleye per trap net at Ball Club Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ball Club Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Ball Club Lake thaw?
- Ball Club Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 241 days.
Are there boat ramps on Ball Club Lake?
- Ball Club Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Ball Club Lake (West), Ball Club Lake (South), Hundred Acre Wood Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Ball Club Lake?
- Ball Club Lake has 3 documented boat landings 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 Ball Club Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Itasca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Ball Club Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Ball Club Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
36 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX36 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
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