Little Bass Lake
Clearwater County, Minnesota51 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Bass Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Bass Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 50.54 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 10, 1977 caught 7.50 northern pike per gill net at Little Bass Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Bass Lake is a 51-acre mesotrophic lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Clearwater County, Little Bass Lake ranks #28 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Bass Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Bass 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 Little Bass Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Bass Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.4 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.4µg/L | Measured, not scored 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. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Little Bass Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 10, 1977 caught 7.50 northern pike per gill net at Little Bass Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Bass Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1977-08-10 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1977-08-10 (Standard Survey)
49 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 44.50 | 0.08 lb | |
| Black Bullhead | 10.50 | 0.53 lb | |
| Pumpkinseed | 6.63 | 0.1 lb | |
| Yellow Perch | 5.25 | 0.1 lb | |
| Black Crappie | 5.00 | 0.16 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 3.88 | 0.83 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.
From the 1977-08-10 survey
N Pike pop. twice the region mean. Yel Perch lower than region mean. LM Bass 3 times state average. Panfish population quite high but fish are small.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Bass Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little BassFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Bass (1335)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little BassPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
35 ft
Surface area
51 acres
Shoreline
1.6 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,631 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Bass LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near Little Bass Lake
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Fishing Little Bass Lake
Nearby Lakes in Clearwater County
Frequently asked questions about Little Bass Lake
Where is Little Bass Lake?
- Little Bass Lake is a lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Bass Lake?
- Little Bass Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 50.54 acres.
Is Little Bass Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Little Bass Lake?
- Little Bass Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 50.54 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Bass Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 10, 1977 caught 7.50 northern pike per gill net at Little Bass Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Bass Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Bass Lake?
- Little Bass Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Bass Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Little Bass Lake?
- Little Bass 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 Little Bass Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
18 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (White Earth Band) (Tribal)
WEARTH_WQX18 samples · 2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory