Jack the Horse Lake
Jack the Horse Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 363.48 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 63°F
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 363 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Itasca County
Jack the Horse Lake is a 363-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 45 feet (11-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Jack the Horse Lake ranks #36 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Jack the Horse Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Jack the Horse Lake in Itasca 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.
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Water Temperature
Jack the Horse Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 65°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 162 field readings (2021–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Jack the Horse Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Average Depth | 11 ft |
| Surface Area | 363 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 67% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Jack the Horse Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2004-07-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 16.71 | 0.13 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 12.00 | 0.4 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.38 | 1.15 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.25 | 0.15 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.93 | 1.93 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.72 | 0.25 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)
Largemouth Bass
Pumpkinseed
From the 2004-07-12 survey
Jack the Horse Lake is a 383 acre lake located northeast of Marcell, MN. The lake has a carry-in access off of U.S. Forest Service road 2182. There had not been a lake management plan developed for the lake at the time of this assessment.In 2004, the black crappie gill-net catch rate was 1.3/net while the trap-net…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Jack the Horse Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Jack the HorseFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Jack the Horse (0710)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.45 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #36 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Jack the Horse Lake
What is the water quality grade for Jack the Horse Lake?
- Jack the Horse Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 363.48 acres.
Is Jack the Horse Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Jack the Horse Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Jack the Horse Lake?
- Jack the Horse Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August, from 162 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Jack the Horse Lake?
- Jack the Horse Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet and an average depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 363.48 acres.
What fish are in Jack the Horse Lake?
- Fish species found in Jack the Horse Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Jack the Horse Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Explore Jack the Horse Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
71 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA71 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder