Hunter Lake
Cass County, Minnesota182 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Hunter Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 48 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Hunter Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 31 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 181.82 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 31, 1987 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Hunter Lake. DNR survey details →
Hunter Lake is a 182-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 48 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Hunter Lake ranks #47 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Hunter Lake covers about 180 acres in Cass County. The median ice-out date is April 22, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Hunter Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Hunter Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water31 ft of visibility
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 22
- Deep water48 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Hunter 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 Hunter Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Hunter 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 31 ft down. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.7 µg/L. TSI 34.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 31ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.7µg/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. | 34 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Hunter Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Hunter Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 27 field readings (2018–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hunter Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 31, 1987 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Hunter Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hunter 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
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1987-08-31 (Standard Survey).
3 surveys on file · most recent 1987-08-31 (Standard Survey)
39 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 11.12 | 0.17 lb | |
| Rock Bass | 8.06 | 0.31 lb | |
| Yellow Perch | 4.25 | 0.27 lb | |
| White Sucker | 4.25 | 2.51 lb | |
| Smallmouth Bass | 3.60 | 1.02 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 1.25 | 5.9 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 1987-08-31 survey
Numbers/Set (Lbs./fish) NOP BLG SMB LMB WAE1987 1.0(9.7) 6.1(0.19) 8.7(1.8) 1.3(0.72) 1.7(5.4)1969 1.5(2.1) 36.0(0.20) 1.5(0.73) 1.5(0.48) 1.0(10.5)Northern Pike - Gillnet catches indicate a low population of large fish. No year classes beyond 1979 were present indicating limited natural reproduction.Bluegill -…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hunter Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HunterFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
48 ft
Surface area
182 acres
Shoreline
2.6 mi
Littoral zone
29%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,319 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Hunter Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hunter Lake in Cass 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 Hunter 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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Fishing Hunter Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.41 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.51 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 22
Earliest Apr 5, 2000 · Latest May 8, 2022
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 12, 2014 · Latest Dec 26, 2021
Most recent ice-out
May 8
2022
21 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Hunter Lake
Where is Hunter Lake?
- Hunter Lake is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hunter Lake?
- Hunter Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 31 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 181.82 acres.
Is Hunter Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Hunter Lake?
- Hunter Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 27 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Hunter Lake?
- Hunter Lake has a maximum depth of 48 feet. The lake covers 181.82 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Hunter Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 31, 1987 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Hunter Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hunter 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 Hunter Lake thaw?
- Hunter Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 22. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Can I fish at Hunter Lake?
- Public access to Hunter 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 Hunter Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
51 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA51 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate