Gun Lake
Aitkin County, Minnesota712 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Gun Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 44 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Gun Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 711.9 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 7, 2025 caught 0.17 walleye per trap net at Gun Lake. DNR survey details →
Gun Lake is a 712-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 44 feet (18-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 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 2025-10-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Gun Lake covers about 710 acres in Aitkin County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 16, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Gun Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Gun Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 16
- Deep water44 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Gun Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Gun 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 Gun Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Gun Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7ft | 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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Gun Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Gun Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 69°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (69°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 100 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Gun Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 7, 2025 caught 0.17 walleye per trap net at Gun Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Gun Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
18 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-17 (Targeted Survey).
18 surveys on file · most recent 2025-09-17 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 14.42 | 1–8 in 2025-07-07 | 0.22 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 12.54 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 8.58 | 5–6 in 2025-07-07 | 0.1 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.74 | 5 in 2025-07-07 | 1.33 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 6.69 |
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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-09-17 survey
Fall night electrofishing was conducted on 9/17/2025 to monitor the success of Walleye fry stocking on Gun Lake. Walleye fry were stocked annually from 2011 to 2016, however these stocking events resulted in poor year class strength indexes. Due to poor fry survival and recruitment, annual fingerling stocking resumed…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Gun Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GunFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Gun (0146)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — GunFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GunPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
44 ft
Average depth
18 ft
Surface area
712 acres
Shoreline
8.7 mi
Littoral zone
41%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,204 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Gun 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 Gun Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gun 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 Gun Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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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 Gun Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 16
Earliest Mar 14, 2024 · Latest May 10, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 2
Earliest Nov 21, 2003 · Latest Dec 22, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Apr 14
2025
25 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Gun 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: Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN01-0099-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Gun Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Palisade WwtpPalisade · 4.8 mi away · NPDES MN0050997Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Gun Lake
Where is Gun Lake?
- Gun 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 Gun Lake?
- Gun Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 711.9 acres.
Is Gun Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Gun Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Gun Lake?
- Gun Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October, from 100 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Gun Lake?
- Gun Lake has a maximum depth of 44 feet and an average depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 711.9 acres.
What fish are in Gun Lake?
- Fish species found in Gun Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Gun Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Gun Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 7, 2025 caught 0.17 walleye per trap net at Gun Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Gun Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Gun Lake thaw?
- Gun Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 230 days.
Are there boat ramps on Gun Lake?
- Gun Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Gun Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Gun Lake?
- Gun 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 Gun Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Aitkin County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
71 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA71 samples · 2021–2025
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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