Hoff Lake
Meeker County, Minnesota139 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Hoff Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 8 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Hoff Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 111 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 38.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 138.53 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 1, 2019 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Hoff Lake. DNR survey details →
Hoff Lake is a 139-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Meeker County, Hoff Lake ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Hoff Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing17 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 15
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hoff Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Hoff 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 Hoff Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Hoff Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 111 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 38.7 µg/L. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 111µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 38.7µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Hoff Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Hoff Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (64°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hoff Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 1, 2019 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Hoff Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hoff Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-07-01 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2019-07-01 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 155.14 | 5–13 in 2019-07-01 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluegill | 15.48 | 2–7 in 2019-07-01 | 0.21 lb |
| Northern Pike | 12.29 | 10–32 in 2019-07-01 | 2.05 lb |
| Common Carp | 10.19 | 17–26 in 2019-07-01 | 2.6 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.82 | 3–13 in 2019-07-01 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 6.35 | 4–6 in 2019-07-01 | 0.17 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.
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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Northern Pike
Common Carp
From the 2019-07-01 survey
A standard survey was conducted at Hoff Lake beginning on July 1, 2019, to monitor the lake's fish population. Hoff is a class 43 lake and net catches were compared to other similar lakes around the state. The 2015 MNDNR Fisheries lake management plan (LMP) listed Northern Pike as the primary management species at…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hoff Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HoffFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HoffPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
8 ft
Surface area
139 acres
Shoreline
3.1 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,073 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Hoff 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 Hoff Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hoff Lake in Meeker 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Hoff Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Hoff Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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 Hoff Lake
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 15
Earliest Apr 2, 2015 · Latest Apr 29, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 12
Earliest Nov 12, 2014 · Latest Nov 24, 2012
Most recent ice-out
Apr 19
2019
7 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Hoff 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: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN47-0106-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Hoff Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Cedar Mills WwtpCedar Mills · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MN0066605Recent 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 Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Hoff Lake
Where is Hoff Lake?
- Hoff Lake is a lake in Meeker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hoff Lake?
- Hoff Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 111 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 38.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 138.53 acres.
Is Hoff Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hoff Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Hoff Lake?
- Hoff Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Hoff Lake?
- Hoff Lake has a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 138.53 acres.
What fish are in Hoff Lake?
- Fish species found in Hoff Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Hoff Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Hoff Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 1, 2019 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Hoff Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hoff Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Hoff Lake thaw?
- Hoff Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Nov 12. The open water season is approximately 211 days.
Are there boat ramps on Hoff Lake?
- Hoff Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hoff Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Hoff Lake?
- Hoff 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 Hoff Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA12 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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