Hammal Lake

Hammal Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Hammal Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. The lake bottoms out at 44 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. Hammal Lake covers 376 acres alongside 4.6 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Among the 53 graded lakes in Aitkin County, Hammal Lake sits at rank 20, above the county median.

Hammal Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. Walleye are documented at Hammal Lake, one of 14 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Hammal Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 13 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 13. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.