Gilmore Lake
Gilmore Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 20.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 54 ft. Surface area: 93.16 acres.
- Clarity
- 20.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 54 ft
- Area
- 93 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 24
- Open water
- 213 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Gilmore Lake is a 93-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 54 feet (22-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Gilmore Lake ranks #27 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 20.3 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 35.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 20.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Gilmore Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gilmore Lake in Hubbard 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
Gilmore Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Apr (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 178 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Gilmore Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 54 ft |
| Average Depth | 22 ft |
| Surface Area | 93 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 39% |
| 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 Gilmore Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-06-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 8.46 | 0.09 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.83 | 0.15 lb |
| Rock Bass | 4.57 | 0.4 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.43 | 0.2 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.25 | 1.78 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.96 | 2.76 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
Rock Bass
Pumpkinseed
From the 2016-06-06 survey
Gilmore Lake is located three miles northeast of Dorset in Hubbard County. Gilmore has a surface area of 93 acres and a maximum depth of 54 feet. There is no public access on the lake and the entire shoreline is in private ownership. Gilmore provides angling opportunities for Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Gilmore Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GilmoreFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.034 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.29 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.13 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (35 observations).
Estimated open water season: 213 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-04-02 (2016) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2003-11-08 (2003) | 2024-11-30 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-19
EPA Impairment Status
Gilmore Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN29-0150-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.61 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #27 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Gilmore Lake
What is the water quality grade for Gilmore Lake?
- Gilmore Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 20.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 54 ft. Surface area: 93.16 acres.
Is Gilmore Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Gilmore Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Gilmore Lake?
- Gilmore Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 178 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Gilmore Lake?
- Gilmore Lake has a maximum depth of 54 feet and an average depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 93.16 acres.
What fish are in Gilmore Lake?
- Fish species found in Gilmore Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Gilmore Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does Gilmore Lake thaw?
- Gilmore Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 24. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 213 days.
Explore Gilmore Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
305 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
MNPCA305 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 (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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate