Bass Lake
Bass Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 222.47 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 34 ft
- Area
- 222 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 6
- Open water
- 242 days
Next lake in Wright County
Bass Lake is a 222-acre mesotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet (17-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Bass Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. 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 13.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 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 Wright 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
Bass Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in Oct (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 158 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bass Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 34 ft |
| Average Depth | 16.9 ft |
| Surface Area | 222 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bass 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
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-07-28 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 84.83 | 0.11 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 16.48 | 0.53 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.48 | 0.88 lb |
| CNM | 11.17 | — |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 10.31 | 0.17 lb |
| Northern Pike | 9.20 | 1.79 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
Yellow Bass
Largemouth Bass
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2017-07-28 survey
A survey of near shore fish species was conducted on Bass Lake on July 28th and 31st, 2017 by the Sauk Rapids DNR Fisheries office. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the shoreline and each site was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining, except two sites where soft sediments prevented the use of a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bass Lake. 3 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 (2008)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BassPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.249 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.54 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.35 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (24 observations).
Estimated open water season: 242 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-12 (2024) | 2018-05-04 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2008-11-25 (2008) | 2007-01-02 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-03-28
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Bass Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 222.47 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 3.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 158 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet and an average depth of 16.9 feet. The lake covers 222.47 acres.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
- Fish species found in Bass Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bass Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Bass Lake thaw?
- Bass Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6. Ice typically forms around Dec 4. The open water season is approximately 242 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 Bass Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bass Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
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
Where this data comes from
181 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
MNPCA181 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
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