East Loon Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota1,044 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for East Loon Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 105 ft max depth
- Public access
East Loon Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 1044.33 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 14, 2025 caught 3.22 walleye per gill net at East Loon Lake. DNR survey details →
East Loon Lake is a 1,044-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 105 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, East Loon Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
East Loon Lake covers about 1,000 acres in Otter Tail County. The median ice-out date is April 13, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near East Loon Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What East Loon Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
- Fishing17 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 13
- Deep water105 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,044 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. East Loon Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether East Loon 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 East Loon Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for East Loon 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 13.5 ft. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.9 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.9µg/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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about East Loon Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
East Loon Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Jun (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (69°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 19 field readings (2022–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full East Loon Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for East Loon Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (9,036 cells/mL) on May 9, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 14, 2025 caught 3.22 walleye per gill net at East Loon Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Loon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-14 (Targeted Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-14 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 37.42 | ||
| Bluegill | 28.10 | 3–8 in 2025-07-14 | 0.17 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 26.11 | 3 in 2008-07-28 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.09 | 5–16 in 2025-07-14 | 1.01 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.
Bluegill
Green Sunfish
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-07-14 survey
Loon Lake is a 1,048-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in north-central Otter Tail County. The town of Vergas, MN abuts the northeast shoreline of the lake. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The lake has a maximum depth of 105 feet;…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Loon Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — East LoonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East LoonFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — East LoonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
105 ft
Surface area
1,044 acres
Shoreline
17.1 mi
Littoral zone
57%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
19 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,355 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near East Loon Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near East Loon Lake in Otter Tail 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 East Loon Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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 East Loon 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: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.54 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.32 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 13
Earliest Apr 10, 2004 · Latest May 7, 2022
Most recent ice-out
May 7
2022
4 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
East Loon Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0523-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about East Loon Lake
Where is East Loon Lake?
- East Loon Lake is a lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of East Loon Lake?
- East Loon Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 1044.33 acres.
Is East Loon Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. East Loon Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of East Loon Lake?
- East Loon Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, from 19 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is East Loon Lake?
- East Loon Lake has a maximum depth of 105 feet. The lake covers 1044.33 acres.
What fish are in East Loon Lake?
- Fish species found in East Loon Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. East Loon Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at East Loon Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 14, 2025 caught 3.22 walleye per gill net at East Loon Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Loon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does East Loon Lake thaw?
- East Loon Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13.
Does East Loon Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for East Loon Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (9,036 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Can I fish at East Loon Lake?
- Public access to East Loon Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 East Loon Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
231 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA231 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 (3)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate