Hay Lake

Hay Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Hay Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. Hay Lake reaches 19 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. The lake is compact at 52 acres, with 1.2 miles of shoreline and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Within the 120 graded lakes of Crow Wing County, Hay Lake sits at rank 101, near the bottom of the county list.

No invasive species are currently listed at Hay Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Hay Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.