Big Wolf Lake
Big Wolf Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 1076.16 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 63°F
- Max depth
- 57 ft
- Area
- 1,076 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 25
- Open water
- 220 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Big Wolf Lake is a 1,076-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 57 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Big Wolf Lake ranks #59 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-08. 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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Big Wolf Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Wolf 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.
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Water Temperature
Big Wolf Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 64°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 276 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Wolf Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 57 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,076 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 36% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Zoph ParkPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Wolf 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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 38.46 | 0.17 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 30.99 | — |
| BKF | 25.99 | — |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 7.11 | 1.08 lb |
| MMS | 6.79 | — |
| Walleye | 6.33 | 1.41 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.
Yellow Perch
Tullibee (Cisco)
Walleye
From the 2025-08-07 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Wolf Lake, which is located partially within the Leech Lake Reservation, on August 7th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (oxythermal habitat) available to coldwater fish species such as Cisco,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Wolf Lake. 5 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WolfFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Wolf (1277)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Wolf (1724)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WolfFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WolfPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.069 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.44 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (13 observations).
Estimated open water season: 220 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2021-04-05 (2021) | 2022-05-07 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2023-11-28 (2023) | 2021-12-07 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-25
EPA Impairment Status
Big Wolf 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 MN04-0079-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.71 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #59 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Big Wolf Lake holds Grade B. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Big Wolf Lake
What is the water quality grade for Big Wolf Lake?
- Big Wolf Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 1076.16 acres.
Is Big Wolf Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Big Wolf Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Big Wolf Lake?
- Big Wolf Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August, from 276 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Wolf Lake?
- Big Wolf Lake has a maximum depth of 57 feet. The lake covers 1076.16 acres.
What fish are in Big Wolf Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Wolf Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, greater redhorse, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Big Wolf Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does Big Wolf Lake thaw?
- Big Wolf Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 220 days.
Are there boat ramps on Big Wolf Lake?
- Big Wolf Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Zoph Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Wolf Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX24 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate