Kabetogama Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota24,034 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Kabetogama Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 80 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Kabetogama Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 24034 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 11, 2025 caught 8.70 walleye per gill net at Kabetogama Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–24 inches. DNR survey details →
Kabetogama Lake is a 24,034-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 80 feet (30-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and burbot. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 24,000 acres, Kabetogama Lake is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. The median ice-out date is April 29, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Kabetogama Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Kabetogama Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 29
- Deep water80 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water24,034 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Kabetogama Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Kabetogama 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 Kabetogama Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Kabetogama Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.4 ft. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Kabetogama Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Kabetogama Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (111,686 cells/mL) on October 25, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 11, 2025 caught 8.70 walleye per gill net at Kabetogama Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–24 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Kabetogama Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
32 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-11 (Standard Survey).
32 surveys on file · most recent 2025-06-11 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 25.23 | 1–24 in 2025-06-11 | 0.96 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.43 | 1–11 in 2025-06-11 | 0.31 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 8.47 | 1–18 in 2025-06-11 | 1.12 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.12 | 6–22 in 2025-06-11 | 1.92 lb |
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.
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Smallmouth Bass
White Sucker
From the 2025-06-11 survey
Lake Kabetogama is part of the statewide Large Lake Program, an intensive fisheries management program on the 10 largest Walleye lakes in Minnesota. The Large Lake Program includes annual fish population assessments, annual water quality monitoring, and regularly scheduled creel surveys. A variety of sampling gear is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Kabetogama Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — KabetogamaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — KabetogamaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
80 ft
Average depth
29.9 ft
Surface area
24,034 acres
Shoreline
190.5 mi
Littoral zone
31%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Kabetogama Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kabetogama Lake in St. Louis 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 Kabetogama 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Kabetogama Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Kabetogama 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.46 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 29
Earliest Apr 1, 2012 · Latest May 18, 1996
Typical ice-in
Nov 30
Earliest Nov 21, 1978 · Latest Dec 9, 1981
Most recent ice-out
Apr 14
2024
89 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Kabetogama Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0845-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Kabetogama Lake
Where is Kabetogama Lake?
- Kabetogama Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Kabetogama Lake?
- Kabetogama Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 24034 acres.
Is Kabetogama Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Kabetogama Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Kabetogama Lake?
- Kabetogama Lake has a maximum depth of 80 feet and an average depth of 29.9 feet. The lake covers 24034 acres.
What fish are in Kabetogama Lake?
- Fish species found in Kabetogama Lake include black crappie, bluegill, burbot, cisco species, lake sturgeon, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, redhorse, rock bass, sauger, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Kabetogama Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Kabetogama Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 11, 2025 caught 8.70 walleye per gill net at Kabetogama Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–24 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Kabetogama Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Kabetogama Lake thaw?
- Kabetogama Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 29. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 215 days.
Does Kabetogama Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Kabetogama Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (111,686 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Can I fish at Kabetogama Lake?
- Public access to Kabetogama Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Kabetogama Lake across LakeQuality
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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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Where this data comes from
26 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS Minnesota Water Science Center
USGS-MN26 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate