Fox Lake
Fox Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 143.34 acres.
- Clarity
- 14 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 24 ft
- Area
- 143 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 14
- Open water
- 219 days
Next lake in Becker County
Fox Lake is a 143-acre mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Fox Lake ranks #29 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-26. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft. Phosphorus level: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Fox Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fox Lake in Becker 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.
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Water Temperature
Fox Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Sep (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 169 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fox Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 24 ft |
| Surface Area | 143 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 60% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fox 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1999-06-28 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 34.61 | 0.19 lb |
| White Sucker | 9.01 | 2.29 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 6.83 | 0.34 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.65 | 0.11 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.31 | 1.9 lb |
| Walleye | 4.22 | 0.98 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
White Sucker
Hybrid Sunfish
Yellow Perch
From the 1999-06-28 survey
Fox Lake is a small, heavily-developed lake. The number of shoreline homes or cottages more than double from 24 in 1966 to 55 in 1999. Fishing pressure has likely increased, as well, and the fish community is showing signs of over fishing.With a few exceptions, fish numbers remain much as they were forty years ago.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fox Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FoxFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FoxFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.201 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.97 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.26 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (90 observations).
Estimated open water season: 219 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-02-28 (2000) | 2014-05-24 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-03 (1991) | 2001-12-07 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-04-03
EPA Impairment Status
Fox 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 MN03-0359-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.31 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #29 of 84 lakes in Becker County
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Fox Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 143.34 acres.
Is Fox Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Fox Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 169 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 143.34 acres.
What fish are in Fox Lake?
- Fish species found in Fox Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Fox Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
When does Fox Lake thaw?
- Fox Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Nov 19. The open water season is approximately 219 days.
Explore Fox Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
148 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
MNPCA148 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 (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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate