Fish Lake
Dakota County, Minnesota31 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Fish Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 34 ft max depth
- Public access
Fish Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33.5 ft. Surface area: 30.55 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 1, 2013 caught 10.00 northern pike per gill net at Fish Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 21–30 inches. DNR survey details →
Fish Lake is a 31-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Dakota County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet (8-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Dakota County, Fish Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Fish Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing7 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 31
- Deep water33.5 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate 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. Fish Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Fish 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 Fish Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Fish Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.2 ft. Phosphorus 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.1 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 37µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.1µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Fish Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Fish Lake typically sits around 48°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 63°F) and coldest in Feb (about 36°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (36°F) to its warmest (63°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 420 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fish Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 1, 2013 caught 10.00 northern pike per gill net at Fish Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 21–30 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Fish 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2013-07-01 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2013-07-01 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 45.73 | 2–6 in 2013-07-01 | 0.12 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 15.08 | 9–11 in 2013-07-01 | 0.27 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.28 | 5–6 in 2008-07-01 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 7.05 | 4–7 in 2013-07-01 | 0.14 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.60 | 21–30 in 2013-07-01 | 2.72 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 5.67 | 4–6 in 2013-07-01 | 0.14 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
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
From the 2013-07-01 survey
Fish Lake is a 29 acre lake managed by the Fishing in the Neighborhood Program and the City of Eagan. The lake has a boat access (electric motors only), a fishing pier, and shore fishing areas for anglers. The lake supports a diverse fish community and was previously stocked with Channel Catfish from 1998-2002.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fish Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FishFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FishFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FishPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
33.5 ft
Average depth
8.3 ft
Surface area
31 acres
Shoreline
1.5 mi
Littoral zone
78%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
20 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
840 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Fish Lake ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Fish Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fish Lake in Dakota 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 Fish 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 Fish 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
Stable+0.76 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.11 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 31
Earliest Mar 16, 2002 · Latest Apr 17, 2008
Typical ice-in
Nov 24
Earliest Nov 21, 2007 · Latest Nov 26, 2005
Most recent ice-out
Mar 29
2015
9 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Fish 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.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN19-0057-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Dakota County
Frequently asked questions about Fish Lake
Where is Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake is a lake in Dakota County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33.5 ft. Surface area: 30.55 acres.
Is Fish Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Fish 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 Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake typically sits around 48°F at the surface in October, from 420 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake has a maximum depth of 33.5 feet and an average depth of 8.3 feet. The lake covers 30.55 acres.
What fish are in Fish Lake?
- Fish species found in Fish Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch. Fish Lake is located in Dakota County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Fish Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 1, 2013 caught 10.00 northern pike per gill net at Fish Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 21–30 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Fish 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 Fish Lake thaw?
- Fish Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 31. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 238 days.
Are there boat ramps on Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fish Lake Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Fish Lake?
- Fish 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 Fish Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Dakota County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
323 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
MNPCA323 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
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
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