Hungry Jack Lake
Cook County, Minnesota474 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Hungry Jack Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 71 ft max depth
- Public access
Hungry Jack Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 71 ft. Surface area: 474.28 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 29, 2020 caught 3.89 walleye per gill net at Hungry Jack Lake. DNR survey details →
Hungry Jack Lake is a 474-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 71 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including bluegill, green sunfish, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Hungry Jack Lake ranks #14 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Hungry Jack Lake covers about 470 acres in Cook County. The median ice-out date is May 5, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Hungry Jack Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Hungry Jack Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water18 ft of visibility
- Fishing9 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around May 5
- Deep water71 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Hungry Jack Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Hungry Jack 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 Hungry Jack Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Hungry Jack Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2 µg/L. TSI 35.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 18ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 35 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Hungry Jack Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Hungry Jack Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 64°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (64°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 154 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hungry Jack Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 29, 2020 caught 3.89 walleye per gill net at Hungry Jack Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hungry Jack Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-06-29 (Standard Survey).
15 surveys on file · most recent 2020-06-29 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 5.12 | 3–9 in 2020-06-29 | 0.12 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 4.00 | 3–6 in 2020-06-29 | 0.08 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.08 | 5–9 in 2020-06-29 | 0.17 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 2.28 | 4–18 in 2020-06-29 | 1.09 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.
Bluegill
Green Sunfish
Yellow Perch
Smallmouth Bass
From the 2020-06-29 survey
Hungry Jack Lake is part of a cluster of medium sized easily-accessed lakes about 30 road miles from Grand Marais. It is a moderately developed lake, with two resorts and several cabins on its shores. The lake lacks a public boat launch; public access is limited to a carry-down trail. Nevertheless, use of this lake by…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hungry Jack Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Hungry JackFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Hungry Jack (1827)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Hungry JackFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Hungry JackPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
71 ft
Surface area
474 acres
Shoreline
8.4 mi
Littoral zone
39%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,677 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Hungry Jack Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hungry Jack Lake in Cook 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Hungry Jack 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 →
Follow Hungry Jack Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Hungry Jack Lake
- → Hungry Jack Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Hungry Jack Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Hungry Jack Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Hungry Jack Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.17 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.1 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
May 5
Earliest Mar 28, 2012 · Latest May 13, 2023
Typical ice-in
Nov 25
Earliest Nov 11, 2018 · Latest Dec 6, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Apr 18
2024
24 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Hungry Jack 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: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN16-0227-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Hungry Jack Lake
Where is Hungry Jack Lake?
- Hungry Jack Lake is a lake in Cook County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hungry Jack Lake?
- Hungry Jack Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 71 ft. Surface area: 474.28 acres.
Is Hungry Jack Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hungry Jack Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Hungry Jack Lake?
- Hungry Jack Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in September, from 154 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Hungry Jack Lake?
- Hungry Jack Lake has a maximum depth of 71 feet. The lake covers 474.28 acres.
What fish are in Hungry Jack Lake?
- Fish species found in Hungry Jack Lake include bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, rainbow smelt, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Hungry Jack Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Hungry Jack Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 29, 2020 caught 3.89 walleye per gill net at Hungry Jack Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hungry Jack Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Hungry Jack Lake thaw?
- Hungry Jack Lake typically has ice-out around May 5. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 204 days.
Can I fish at Hungry Jack Lake?
- Public access to Hungry Jack Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Hungry Jack Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cook County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Hungry Jack Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Hungry Jack Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
165 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA165 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate