Howard Lake
Cass County, MinnesotaOligotrophic
Howard Lake sits at the top of the Minnesota PCA grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Minnesota. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.
A TSI value of 36 puts Howard Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. Howard Lake is unusually deep for Minnesota at 60 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. Howard Lake covers 386 acres alongside 7.0 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Within Cass County's 133 graded waters, Howard Lake sits at rank 16, near the top of the local distribution.
No invasive species are currently listed at Howard Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. Walleye are documented at Howard Lake, one of 12 fish species on record for the lake. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Phosphorus level: 9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | A |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 385.58 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 26% |
| Public Access | No |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Howard Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Howard Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Howard Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +3.37 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -12 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (7 observations).
Estimated open water season: 224 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-12 (2005) | 2004-04-19 (2004) |
| Ice-In | 2004-11-28 (2004) | 2003-12-06 (2003) |
Most recent ice-out: 2005-04-12
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 133 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2001-07-09 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 24.76 | 0.13 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 17.49 | 0.52 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 7.57 | 0.37 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.42 | 0.22 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.56 | 2.61 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.25 | 0.14 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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
Tullibee (Cisco)
Yellow Bass
Pumpkinseed
From the 2001-07-09 survey
Howard Lake is a 365-acre lake with a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake is located seven miles northeast of Akeley, Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different lake classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Howard Lake is in lake class 25.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Howard Lake. 2 reports on file.
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HowardFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — HowardFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate
Most recent sample: 2023-09-20
Monitoring stations: 1