Hungry Man Lake

Hungry Man Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Becker County. 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.

A TSI value of 39 puts Hungry Man Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. Hungry Man Lake reaches 21 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. The lake's 144 acres and 3.7 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Among the 93 graded lakes in Becker County, Hungry Man Lake sits at rank 27, above the county median.

Hungry Man Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2020, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Hungry Man Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. A documented public access point at Hungry Man Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.