Fish Lake
Fish Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 175.92 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 65°F
- Max depth
- 28 ft
- Area
- 176 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 3
- Open water
- 240 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Fish Lake →
Next lake in Scott County
Fish Lake is a 176-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Scott County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 3 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Scott County, Fish Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 20.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 60 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 20.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Fish Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fish Lake in Scott 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Fish Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Fish Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Fish Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 65°F) and coldest in Apr (about 47°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,159 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fish Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 28 ft |
| Surface Area | 176 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 42% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Fish LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fish Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-14 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 41.81 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.57 | 0.15 lb |
| Black Crappie | 12.64 | 0.26 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 9.12 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.23 | 1.01 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 4.60 | 0.71 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
Bluntnose Minnow
From the 2025-07-14 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Fish Lake was conducted on July 14- 15, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program (LBMA) staff. 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.…
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.043 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +67.65 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.55 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (31 observations).
Estimated open water season: 240 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-17 (2012) | 2013-04-28 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-25 (2014) | 2012-12-11 (2012) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-03-28
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN70-0069-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 21 lakes in Scott County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Fish Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Scott County
Frequently asked questions about Fish Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 175.92 acres.
Is Fish Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Fish Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 20.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August, from 1,159 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 28 feet. The lake covers 175.92 acres.
What fish are in Fish Lake?
- Fish species found in Fish Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Fish Lake is located in Scott County, Minnesota.
When does Fish Lake thaw?
- Fish Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 3. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 240 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. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Fish Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Scott County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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State Parks Near Fish Lake
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
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Where this data comes from
386 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA386 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate