Kabekona Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota2,433 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Kabekona Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 133 ft max depth
- Public access
Kabekona Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 133 ft. Surface area: 2433.39 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 11, 2024 caught 1.07 walleye per trap net at Kabekona Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Kabekona Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 130 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Kabekona Lake is a 2,433-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 133 feet (53-foot average). Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Kabekona Lake ranks #38 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Kabekona Lake covers about 2,400 acres in Hubbard County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 23, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Kabekona Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Kabekona Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing20 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 23
- Deep water133 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,433 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Kabekona Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Kabekona 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 Kabekona Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Kabekona 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 12.1 ft. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.6 µg/L. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.6µg/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. | 40 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Kabekona Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Kabekona Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (49°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 84 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Kabekona Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 11, 2024 caught 1.07 walleye per trap net at Kabekona Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Kabekona Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-11 (Targeted Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-11 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 25.58 | 3–7 in 2024-07-11 | 0.13 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 16.17 | 8–16 in 2023-06-20 | 0.64 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 8.78 | 2–4 in 2023-06-20 |
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
Tullibee (Cisco)
Spottail Shiner
From the 2024-07-11 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Kabekona Lake was conducted on July 11-17, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Kabekona Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — KabekonaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Kabekona (1251)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — KabekonaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — KabekonaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
133 ft
Average depth
53 ft
Surface area
2,433 acres
Shoreline
10.2 mi
Littoral zone
22%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
96 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,286 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Kabekona LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Kabekona Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kabekona Lake in Hubbard 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 Kabekona Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Kabekona Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.26 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable+0.04 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 23
Earliest Mar 24, 2012 · Latest May 18, 1909
Typical ice-in
Dec 9
Earliest Nov 20, 1911 · Latest Dec 28, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Apr 26
2025
140 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Kabekona 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 MN29-0075-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Kabekona Lake
Where is Kabekona Lake?
- Kabekona Lake is a lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Kabekona Lake?
- Kabekona Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 133 ft. Surface area: 2433.39 acres.
Is Kabekona Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Kabekona 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 Kabekona Lake?
- Kabekona Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September, from 84 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Kabekona Lake?
- Kabekona Lake has a maximum depth of 133 feet and an average depth of 53 feet. The lake covers 2433.39 acres.
What fish are in Kabekona Lake?
- Fish species found in Kabekona Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brook trout, brown bullhead, burbot, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Kabekona Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Kabekona Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 11, 2024 caught 1.07 walleye per trap net at Kabekona Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Kabekona Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Kabekona Lake thaw?
- Kabekona Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 23. Ice typically forms around Dec 9. The open water season is approximately 230 days.
Are there boat ramps on Kabekona Lake?
- Kabekona Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Kabekona Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Kabekona Lake?
- Kabekona Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Kabekona Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Hubbard County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
110 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA110 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 (3)
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