Lax Lake
Lake County, Minnesota295 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Lax Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lax Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 295.1 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 0.30 northern pike per fyke net at Lax Lake. DNR survey details →
Lax Lake is a 295-acre mesotrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 35 feet (10-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Lax Lake ranks #29 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lax Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing9 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 29
- Deep water35 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Lax Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lax 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 Lax Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Lax Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.4 ft. Phosphorus 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 18µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 8µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lax Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lax Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 68°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (68°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 102 field readings (2011–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lax Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 0.30 northern pike per fyke net at Lax Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lax Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
30 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey).
30 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 15.75 | 4–19 in 2025-06-05 | 1.26 lb |
| Bluegill | 14.57 | 3–8 in 2022-08-16 | 0.23 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.80 | 5–8 in 2022-08-16 | 0.18 lb |
| White Sucker | 7.40 | 8–21 in 2022-08-16 | 2.32 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 5.82 |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
From the 2025-07-21 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Lax Lake was conducted on July 21st-July 23rd, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a 50-foot or…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lax Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LaxFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lax (0751)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LaxFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LaxPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
35 ft
Average depth
10 ft
Surface area
295 acres
Shoreline
3.9 mi
Littoral zone
65%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,266 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lax 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 Lax Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lax Lake in Lake 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 Lax Lake
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Follow Lax Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lax Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 29
Earliest Apr 5, 2000 · Latest May 13, 1996
Typical ice-in
Nov 17
Earliest Oct 29, 1988 · Latest Dec 7, 1998
Most recent ice-out
May 2
2020
104 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Lax 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 MN38-0406-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Lax Lake
Where is Lax Lake?
- Lax Lake is a lake in Lake County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lax Lake?
- Lax Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 295.1 acres.
Is Lax Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lax Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lax Lake?
- Lax Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, from 102 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lax Lake?
- Lax Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 295.1 acres.
What fish are in Lax Lake?
- Fish species found in Lax Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Lax Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lax Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 0.30 northern pike per fyke net at Lax Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lax Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Lax Lake thaw?
- Lax Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 29. Ice typically forms around Nov 17. The open water season is approximately 202 days.
Are there boat ramps on Lax Lake?
- Lax Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lax Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lax Lake?
- Lax 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 Lax Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
4.4 mi away · 63 ft
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA29 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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 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