Bass Lake
Bass Lake in Mahnomen County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 734.97 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.1 ft
- Max depth
- 26 ft
- Area
- 735 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 27
- Open water
- 205 days
Next lake in Mahnomen County
Bass Lake is a 735-acre mesotrophic lake in Mahnomen County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 26 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Mahnomen County, Bass Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 13.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Bass Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bass Lake in Mahnomen 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 Bass Lake
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Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bass Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (159,956 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 26 ft |
| Surface Area | 735 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 40% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Broken Arrow ResortSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bass Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-08 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 16.48 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 16.08 | 0.66 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 8.27 | 0.14 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 6.10 | 0.31 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.38 | 1.83 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 3.66 | — |
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
Yellow Bass
Green Sunfish
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2022-08-08 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Big Bass Lake was conducted on August 8, 2022 by Detroit Lakes Area Fisheries Staff. Data collected during this nearshore survey were combined with trap net and gill net data to calculate a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score for the lake. The FIBI Tool-4 was used for scoring and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bass Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BassFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bass (0110)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BassFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BassPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.251 m/yr | 3 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (9 observations).
Estimated open water season: 205 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-04-15 (2015) | 2008-05-09 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2015-10-27 (2015) | 2017-12-07 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-28
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 12 lakes in Mahnomen County
Nearby Lakes in Mahnomen County
Frequently asked questions about Bass Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake in Mahnomen County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 734.97 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 4.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 734.97 acres.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
- Fish species found in Bass Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bass Lake is located in Mahnomen County, Minnesota.
When does Bass Lake thaw?
- Bass Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 27. Ice typically forms around Nov 18. The open water season is approximately 205 days.
Does Bass Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bass Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (159,956 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
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 Broken Arrow Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bass Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Mahnomen County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Bass Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Bass Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
42 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (White Earth Band) (Tribal)
WEARTH_WQX31 samples · 2023 - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA11 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
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