Bass Lake
Bass Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 732.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Max depth
- 27 ft
- Area
- 732 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 218 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Bass Lake is a 732-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 27 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Bass Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-02. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Bass Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bass Lake in Crow Wing 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft |
| Surface Area | 732 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 62% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Lower Mission LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bass 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-27 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKF | 32.93 | — |
| Bluegill | 26.14 | 0.19 lb |
| BKS | 25.61 | — |
| Northern Pike | 20.77 | 2.29 lb |
| IOD | 19.26 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.83 | 1.14 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.
Bluegill
Northern Pike
Largemouth Bass
From the 2022-07-27 survey
Lower Mission Lake is a 732 acre lake, with a maximum depth of 27', located just east of the town of Ossipee, MN. Lower Mission is in the Mississippi River-Brainerd Watershed. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Fourteen 100' long sampling stations were…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bass Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lower MissionFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Lower MissionPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.024 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.91 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.9 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (129 observations).
Estimated open water season: 218 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-21 (2012) | 2013-05-10 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-04 (1991) | 2017-12-25 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-09
EPA Impairment Status
Bass 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 MN18-0243-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.57 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Bass Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 732.2 acres.
Is Bass Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Bass Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 732.2 acres.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
- Fish species found in Bass Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bass Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Bass Lake thaw?
- Bass Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Nov 20. The open water season is approximately 218 days.
Are there boat ramps on Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lower Mission Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bass Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
144 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA144 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate