Jessie Lake
Jessie Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 1740.06 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 42 ft
- Area
- 1,740 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 25
- Open water
- 214 days
Next lake in Itasca County
Jessie Lake is a 1,740-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 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, Jessie Lake ranks #53 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 12.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Jessie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Jessie 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Jessie Lake
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Water Temperature
Jessie Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 225 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Jessie Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Jessie Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (29,648 cells/mL) on November 15, 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 | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,740 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 9.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 26% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Jessie LakePublic
- Jessie LakePublic
- Jessie View ResortSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Jessie 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
24 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-09 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 37.52 | 0.16 lb |
| BKF | 21.81 | — |
| Walleye | 17.50 | 1.49 lb |
| JND | 14.20 | — |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 6.00 | 0.99 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.58 | 1.67 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
Walleye
Tullibee (Cisco)
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-09-09 survey
Jessie Lake is a class 27 lake about two miles west of Talmoon, MN, in the Big Fork River watershed. In fall 2025, biologists used nighttime electrofishing to collect young-of-the-year (YOY) Walleye as part of a statewide study comparing lakes with and without Zebra Mussels. Various management strategies have been…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Jessie Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — JessieFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Jessie (0670)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — JessieFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — JessiePublic 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 | +0.203 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.64 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.23 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (120 observations).
Estimated open water season: 214 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-29 (2012) | 1950-05-19 (1950) |
| Ice-In | 1995-11-12 (1995) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-27
EPA Impairment Status
Jessie Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0786-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #53 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Jessie Lake holds Grade C. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Jessie Lake
What is the water quality grade for Jessie Lake?
- Jessie Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 1740.06 acres.
Is Jessie Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Jessie Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 12.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Jessie Lake?
- Jessie Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 225 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Jessie Lake?
- Jessie Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 1740.06 acres.
What fish are in Jessie Lake?
- Fish species found in Jessie Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Jessie Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
When does Jessie Lake thaw?
- Jessie Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 214 days.
Does Jessie Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Jessie Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (29,648 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Jessie Lake?
- Jessie Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Jessie Lake, Jessie Lake, Jessie View Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Jessie Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
161 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA161 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 (1)
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