Gilstad Lake

Gilstad Lake pulls a D on the LakeGrade rubric — phosphorus loading and limited clarity hold it below the Minnesota average. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

At a TSI of 51, Gilstad Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. The lake's 55 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. Gilstad Lake covers 257 acres alongside 3.6 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Gilstad Lake ranks 85 of 86 in Beltrami County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Gilstad Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 15 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Gilstad Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.