Jay Gould Lake
Jay Gould Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 33 ft
- Area
- 552 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 22
Next lake in Itasca County
Jay Gould Lake is a 552-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 2 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Jay Gould Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Jay Gould 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
Jay Gould Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 33 ft |
| Surface Area | 552 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 53% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Mississippi River #1Public
- Clay BoswellPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 17.23 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 6.48 | 0.87 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.57 | 0.29 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.41 | 0.93 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.74 | 1.63 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 3.44 | 0.93 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.096 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (8 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-04-06 (2017) | 2013-05-12 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-25 (2002) | 2003-11-28 (2003) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-05
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0565-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Jay Gould Lake
What is the water quality grade for Jay Gould Lake?
- Jay Gould Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Jay Gould Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Jay Gould Lake?
- Jay Gould Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, 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.
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 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Mississippi River #1, Clay Boswell. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Jay Gould Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Itasca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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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)
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
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