Jessie Lake

Jessie Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Minnesota lake of its size and depth. The lake's weakest score is on Secchi depth — the water looks more turbid than its phosphorus number alone would predict.

At a TSI of 50, Jessie Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. Jessie Lake reaches 35 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. Jessie Lake covers 3,598 acres alongside 16.6 miles of shoreline, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Within Beltrami County's 86 graded lakes, Jessie Lake ranks 60 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Jessie Lake is on the Minnesota infested-waters list for zebra mussels — boaters should follow clean-drain-dry protocols when moving gear to or from the lake. Jessie Lake's fishery is anchored by muskellunge, with 17 documented species in total — a destination water for muskie anglers. A documented public access point at Jessie Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been recorded 13 times at Jessie Lake, with a median around Apr 24. Multiple sampling years from Minnesota PCA volunteers and partner agencies back the grade, so the letter should hold steady absent a major watershed shift.