Bassett Lake
Bassett Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 402.59 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 403 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- May 1
- Open water
- 200 days
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Bassett Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Bassett Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Bassett Lake is a 403-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet (13-foot average). The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Bassett Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Bassett Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bassett Lake in St. Louis 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 Bassett Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Bassett Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 33 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bassett Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Average Depth | 12.9 ft |
| Surface Area | 403 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 49% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bassett Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-21 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| GOS | 27.54 | 0.08 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 18.06 | 0.17 lb |
| MTS | 15.07 | — |
| Bluegill | 12.20 | 0.27 lb |
| Walleye | 10.46 | 1.9 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.83 | 0.87 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.
GOS
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Walleye
From the 2025-08-21 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Bassett Lake was conducted on August 21st-August 22nd, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a 50-foot…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bassett Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BassettFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bassett (0984)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BassettFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BassettPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.032 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (20 observations).
Estimated open water season: 200 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-15 (2005) | 2022-05-09 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2003-11-03 (2003) | 2004-12-07 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-23
EPA Impairment Status
Bassett 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 MN69-0041-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Bassett Lake
Bassett Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Bassett Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bassett Lake?
- Bassett Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 402.59 acres.
Is Bassett Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Bassett Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bassett Lake?
- Bassett Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 33 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bassett Lake?
- Bassett Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet and an average depth of 12.9 feet. The lake covers 402.59 acres.
What fish are in Bassett Lake?
- Fish species found in Bassett Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Bassett Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Bassett Lake thaw?
- Bassett Lake typically has ice-out around May 1. Ice typically forms around Nov 17. The open water season is approximately 200 days.
Explore Bassett Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
39 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
MNPCA39 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate