Fleming Lake
Aitkin County, Minnesota319 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Fleming Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 15 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Fleming Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 318.83 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 7, 2017 caught 1.50 northern pike per gill net at Fleming Lake. DNR survey details →
Fleming Lake is a 319-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet (6-foot average). The lake supports 11 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-08-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Fleming Lake covers about 320 acres in Aitkin County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 17, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Fleming Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Fleming Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 17
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Fleming Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Fleming 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 Fleming Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Fleming Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Fleming Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Fleming Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 14 field readings (2011–2016) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fleming Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 7, 2017 caught 1.50 northern pike per gill net at Fleming Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Fleming Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. 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: 2017-08-07 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2017-08-07 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 45.95 | 5–11 in 2017-08-07 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 30.74 | 4–10 in 2017-08-07 | 0.21 lb |
| Bluegill | 13.59 | 3–8 in 2017-08-07 | 0.26 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 9.78 | 5–7 in 2017-08-07 | 0.11 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 4.15 | 11–14 in 2017-08-07 | 0.87 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.68 | 5–13 in 2017-08-07 | 0.75 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.
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Golden Shiner
From the 2017-08-07 survey
Fleming Lake is a shallow, very fertile lake located in central Aitkin County, five and one-half miles south of Palisade. Fleming Lake has a history of occasional partial winterkills, although there are no recent reports of such an event. The lake is a popular destination for many anglers in search of northern pike,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fleming Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FlemingFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Fleming (0085)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FlemingPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
15 ft
Average depth
6 ft
Surface area
319 acres
Shoreline
3.6 mi
Littoral zone
99%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
8 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,207 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Fleming 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 Fleming Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fleming Lake in Aitkin 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 Fleming 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 Fleming Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 17
Earliest Apr 1, 2016 · Latest May 5, 1996
Typical ice-in
Nov 28
Earliest Nov 13, 1990 · Latest Dec 1, 2006
Most recent ice-out
May 4
2018
18 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Fleming Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN01-0105-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Fleming Lake
Where is Fleming Lake?
- Fleming Lake is a lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Fleming Lake?
- Fleming Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 318.83 acres.
Is Fleming Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Fleming Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Fleming Lake?
- Fleming Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 14 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2016). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fleming Lake?
- Fleming Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet and an average depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 318.83 acres.
What fish are in Fleming Lake?
- Fish species found in Fleming Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Fleming Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Fleming Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 7, 2017 caught 1.50 northern pike per gill net at Fleming Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Fleming Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Fleming Lake thaw?
- Fleming Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 225 days.
Are there boat ramps on Fleming Lake?
- Fleming Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fleming Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Fleming Lake?
- Fleming 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 Fleming Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA6 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic 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