Kabekona Lake
Kabekona Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 12.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 61°F
- Max depth
- 133 ft
- Area
- 2,433 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 23
- Open water
- 230 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
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 quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 12.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Kabekona Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 133 ft |
| Average Depth | 53 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,433 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 22% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Kabekona LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Kabekona Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-11 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 27.52 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 25.58 | 0.13 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 16.17 | 0.64 lb |
| IOD | 10.38 | — |
| Spottail Shiner | 8.78 | — |
| LES | 6.26 | — |
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
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
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.079 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.26 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.04 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (140 observations).
Estimated open water season: 230 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-24 (2012) | 1909-05-18 (1909) |
| Ice-In | 1911-11-20 (1911) | 2015-12-28 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-26
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN29-0075-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #38 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Kabekona Lake
What is the water quality grade for Kabekona Lake?
- Kabekona Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Kabekona Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Kabekona Lake?
- Kabekona Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Kabekona Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Hubbard County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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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)
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