Clark Lake

Clark Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Clark Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. The lake bottoms out at 44 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 73 acres, Clark Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Among the 187 graded lakes in St. Louis County, Clark Lake sits at rank 58, above the county median.

Clark Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2021, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 7, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. No formal public access is documented at Clark Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.