Chub Lake

Chub Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

A TSI value of 40 puts Chub Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. Chub Lake reaches 28 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 313 acres, Chub Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 4.8 miles of shoreline. Chub Lake ranks 9 of 33 in Carlton County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Chub Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 11 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Ice-out has been recorded 17 times at Chub Lake, with a median around Apr 20. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.