Jay Gould Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota552 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Jay Gould Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 33 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Jay Gould Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 551.74 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 3.12 walleye per gill net at Jay Gould Lake. DNR survey details →
Jay Gould Lake is a 552-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Jay Gould Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Jay Gould Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 22
- Deep water33 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. Jay Gould Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Jay Gould 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 Jay Gould Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Jay Gould Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.2 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 21µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.2µg/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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Jay Gould Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Jay Gould Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (70°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 138 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Jay Gould Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Jay Gould Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (248,886 cells/mL) on November 29, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 3.12 walleye per gill net at Jay Gould Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Jay Gould Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-07 (Targeted Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2023-08-07 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 17.23 | 4–10 in 2022-08-01 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 6.48 | 0.87 lb | |
| Bluegill | 5.57 | 2–9 in 2022-08-01 | 0.29 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.41 | 7–15 in 2022-08-01 | 0.93 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.74 | 11–35 in 2022-08-01 | 1.63 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 3.44 | 8–13 in 2022-08-01 | 0.93 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2023-08-07 survey
A temperature-dissolved oxygen profile was collected in the deepest basin on Jay Gould Lake on August 7, 2023, to evaluate the amount of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee. Based on the profile, the top of the thermocline (i.e., the location in the water column…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Jay Gould Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Jay GouldFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Jay Gould (0837)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Jay GouldFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Jay GouldPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
33 ft
Surface area
552 acres
Shoreline
7.4 mi
Littoral zone
53%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
76 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,263 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Jay Gould LakePublic
- Mississippi River #1Public
- Clay BoswellPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near Jay Gould Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Jay Gould Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 22
Earliest Apr 6, 2017 · Latest May 12, 2013
Most recent ice-out
May 5
2022
8 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Jay Gould Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0565-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Jay Gould Lake
Where is Jay Gould Lake?
- Jay Gould Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Jay Gould Lake?
- Jay Gould Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 551.74 acres.
Is Jay Gould Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Jay Gould Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Jay Gould Lake?
- Jay Gould Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 138 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Jay Gould Lake?
- Jay Gould Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet. The lake covers 551.74 acres.
What fish are in Jay Gould Lake?
- Fish species found in Jay Gould Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Jay Gould Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Jay Gould Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 3.12 walleye per gill net at Jay Gould Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Jay Gould Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Jay Gould Lake thaw?
- Jay Gould Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 22.
Does Jay Gould Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Jay Gould Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (248,886 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Jay Gould Lake?
- Jay Gould Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Jay Gould Lake, Mississippi River #1, Clay Boswell. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Jay Gould Lake?
- Jay Gould Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Jay Gould Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
68 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA68 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 (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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate