Duck Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota326 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Duck Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 23 ft max depth
- Public access
Duck Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 326.41 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 8.78 walleye per gill net at Duck Lake. DNR survey details →
Duck Lake is a 326-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet (14-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Duck Lake ranks #26 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 Duck Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.2 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 17
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Duck 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 Duck Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Duck Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.2 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 7µg/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. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Duck Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Duck Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Duck Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 8.78 walleye per gill net at Duck Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Duck Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 2025-08-18 (Standard Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-18 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 104.24 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 27.93 | 5–17 in 2025-08-18 | 0.73 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
From the 2025-08-18 survey
Duck Lake (DOW # 29-0142-00) is located ten miles southeast of Park Rapids, on the border of Hubbard County. Duck Lake has a surface area of 326 acres and a maximum depth of 23 feet. There is a state-owned public access located on the southwest shore of the lake off Duck Lake Road. Duck Lake has good water quality and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Duck Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DuckFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Duck (1273)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — DuckFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — DuckPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
23 ft
Average depth
14 ft
Surface area
326 acres
Shoreline
2.9 mi
Littoral zone
46%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
658 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,362 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Duck LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Duck Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Duck 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 Duck Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Duck 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.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.73 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.14 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 17
Earliest Mar 24, 2012 · Latest May 8, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 26
Earliest Nov 8, 2019 · Latest Dec 14, 2017
Most recent ice-out
Apr 15
2025
43 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Duck Lake
Where is Duck Lake?
- Duck 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 Duck Lake?
- Duck Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 326.41 acres.
Is Duck Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Duck Lake?
- Duck Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in September, from 26 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Duck Lake?
- Duck Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet and an average depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 326.41 acres.
What fish are in Duck Lake?
- Fish species found in Duck Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Duck Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Duck Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 8.78 walleye per gill net at Duck Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Duck Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Duck Lake thaw?
- Duck Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Nov 26. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Are there boat ramps on Duck Lake?
- Duck Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Duck Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Duck Lake?
- Duck 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 Duck Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Hubbard County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Park Rapids Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
88 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
MNPCA88 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
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