Fish Lake
Fish Lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 11.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 55 ft. Surface area: 77.4 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 56°F
- Max depth
- 55 ft
- Area
- 77 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Le Sueur County
Fish Lake is a 77-acre mesotrophic lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 55 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Le Sueur County, Fish Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Fish Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 25.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Fish Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fish Lake in Le Sueur 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
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 →
Water Temperature
Fish Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 57°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 60°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 62 field readings (2022–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fish Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 55 ft |
| Surface Area | 77 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Steele LakePublic
- Fish LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fish Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-12 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 23.45 | 0.48 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.89 | 0.19 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 5.18 | 0.91 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 5.03 | 0.7 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.07 | 0.14 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.96 | 1.87 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Yellow Bass
From the 2022-07-12 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Fish Lake was conducted on July 12, 2022, by DNR Fisheries staff. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 7…
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
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Fish (0409)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FishPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.38 m/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Fish Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN40-0061-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.62 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 13 lakes in Le Sueur County
Nearby Lakes in Le Sueur County
Frequently asked questions about Fish Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 11.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 55 ft. Surface area: 77.4 acres.
Is Fish Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Fish Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August, from 62 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake has a maximum depth of 55 feet. The lake covers 77.4 acres.
What fish are in Fish Lake?
- Fish species found in Fish Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Fish Lake is located in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Steele Lake, Fish Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Fish Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Le Sueur County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Fish Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
18 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA18 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated 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