Hay Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota52 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Hay Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 19 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Hay Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 52.2 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 7, 1982 caught 7.00 northern pike per gill net at Hay Lake. DNR survey details →
Hay Lake is a 52-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 19 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-06-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Hay Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Hay 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 Hay Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Hay 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 8.2 ft. Phosphorus 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.5 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 21µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.5µg/L | Measured, not scored 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. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Hay Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 7, 1982 caught 7.00 northern pike per gill net at Hay Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hay Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1982-07-07 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1982-07-07 (Standard Survey)
44 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 7.63 | 0.12 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 7.00 | 2 lb | |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.25 | 0.13 lb | |
| Bluegill | 4.00 | 0.24 lb | |
| Yellow Bullhead | 2.25 | 0.46 lb | |
| Brown Bullhead | 1.75 | 0.74 lb |
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.
From the 1982-07-07 survey
Present Northern Pike population is composed of various year classes with an excellent length frequency. Growth and abundance is about average for this area. Bluegills, Pumpkinseeds, and Black Crappie abundance below average but size is good. Largemouth Bass present in low numbers.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hay Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HayFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HayPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
19 ft
Surface area
52 acres
Shoreline
1.2 mi
Littoral zone
57%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,194 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Hay 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 Hay Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hay Lake in Crow Wing 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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Follow Hay Lake’s readings
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Fishing Hay Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2022–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Hay Lake
Where is Hay Lake?
- Hay Lake is a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hay Lake?
- Hay Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 52.2 acres.
Is Hay Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Hay Lake?
- Hay Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 52.2 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Hay Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 7, 1982 caught 7.00 northern pike per gill net at Hay Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hay Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Hay Lake?
- Hay Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hay Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Hay Lake?
- Hay 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 Hay Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA5 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory