Belle Taine Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota1,497 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Belle Taine Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 56 ft max depth
- Public access
Belle Taine Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 22.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 56 ft. Surface area: 1496.66 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 23, 2021 caught 3.42 walleye per gill net at Belle Taine Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Belle Taine Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Belle Taine Lake is a 1,497-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 56 feet (10-foot average). Overall water quality is declining 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 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Belle Taine Lake ranks #45 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Belle Taine Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water22.8 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 18
- Deep water56 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,497 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. Belle Taine Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Belle Taine 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 Belle Taine Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Belle Taine 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 22.8 ft down. Phosphorus 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 34.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 22.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 34 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Belle Taine Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Belle Taine Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Belle Taine Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 23, 2021 caught 3.42 walleye per gill net at Belle Taine Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Belle Taine Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-08-23 (Standard Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2021-08-23 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 35.52 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 10.19 | 4–17 in 2021-08-23 | 0.51 lb |
| Bluegill | 9.41 | 3–8 in 2021-08-23 | 0.12 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 6.72 | 5–13 in 2021-08-23 | 0.62 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.49 | 6–8 in 2021-08-23 | 0.14 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Bullhead
Yellow Perch
From the 2021-08-23 survey
Belle Taine is located in south-central Hubbard County adjacent to the town of Nevis. Belle Taine has a surface area of 1,497 acres and a maximum depth of 56 feet. A city owned public access is located on the east shore of the lake. Access is also available by small craft from Shallow Lake which lies to the north of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Belle Taine Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Belle TaineFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Belle Taine (1287)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Belle TaineFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Belle TainePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
56 ft
Average depth
10 ft
Surface area
1,497 acres
Shoreline
24 mi
Littoral zone
52%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
110 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,414 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake Belle TainePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Belle Taine Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Belle Taine Lake in Hubbard 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 Belle Taine Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Belle Taine Lake
- → Belle Taine Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Belle Taine Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Belle Taine Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Belle Taine Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.54 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.13 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 18
Earliest Mar 15, 2024 · Latest May 11, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 20
Earliest Nov 8, 2003 · Latest Dec 1, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 18
2025
34 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Belle Taine Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN29-0146-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Belle Taine Lake
Where is Belle Taine Lake?
- Belle Taine Lake is a lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Belle Taine Lake?
- Belle Taine Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 22.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 56 ft. Surface area: 1496.66 acres.
Is Belle Taine Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Belle Taine Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Belle Taine Lake?
- Belle Taine Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Belle Taine Lake?
- Belle Taine Lake has a maximum depth of 56 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 1496.66 acres.
What fish are in Belle Taine Lake?
- Fish species found in Belle Taine Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Belle Taine Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Belle Taine Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 23, 2021 caught 3.42 walleye per gill net at Belle Taine Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Belle Taine Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Belle Taine Lake thaw?
- Belle Taine Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Nov 20. The open water season is approximately 216 days.
Are there boat ramps on Belle Taine Lake?
- Belle Taine Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Belle Taine. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Belle Taine Lake?
- Belle Taine Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Belle Taine Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
81 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
MNPCA81 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)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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