Little Floyd Lake
Becker County, Minnesota215 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Floyd Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 34 ft max depth
- Public access
Little Floyd Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 215.39 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 2021 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Little Floyd Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Floyd Lake is a 215-acre mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Little Floyd Lake ranks #35 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Little Floyd Lake covers about 220 acres in Becker County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 17, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Little Floyd Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Little Floyd Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 17
- Deep water34 ft surveyed max depth
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. Little Floyd Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Floyd 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 Floyd Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Floyd 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 11 ft. Phosphorus 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.2 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 21µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.2µg/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. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Little Floyd Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Floyd Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 67°F) and coldest in Apr (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 (67°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 817 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Floyd Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 2021 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Little Floyd Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Floyd Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-14 (Standard Survey).
13 surveys on file · most recent 2021-06-14 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Sunfish | 24.53 | 3–8 in 2021-06-14 | 0.28 lb |
| Bluegill | 24.11 | 3–9 in 2021-06-14 | 0.19 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 16.98 | 6–13 in 2021-06-14 | 0.58 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 16.31 |
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.
Hybrid Sunfish
Bluegill
Yellow Bullhead
From the 2021-06-14 survey
Little Floyd Lake is a 215-acre lake located in southwestern Becker County just north of the city of Detroit Lakes. The lake possesses a heavily developed shoreline and receives heavy recreational use and fishing pressure from the surrounding area. Zebra mussels were discovered in Big Floyd Lake, upstream of Little…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Floyd Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little FloydFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Floyd (1211)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little FloydFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little FloydPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
34 ft
Surface area
215 acres
Shoreline
2.2 mi
Littoral zone
44%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Little Floyd 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 Little Floyd Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Floyd Lake in Becker 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 Little Floyd 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 →
Follow Little Floyd Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Floyd Lake
- → Little Floyd Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Floyd Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Floyd Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Floyd Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
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 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.96 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.07 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 17
Earliest Apr 1, 2010 · Latest May 5, 2022
Typical ice-in
Nov 28
Earliest Nov 20, 2022 · Latest Nov 28, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Apr 6
2025
9 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Little Floyd 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.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN03-0386-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Little Floyd Lake
Where is Little Floyd Lake?
- Little Floyd Lake is a lake in Becker 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 Floyd Lake?
- Little Floyd Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 215.39 acres.
Is Little Floyd Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Little Floyd 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 Little Floyd Lake?
- Little Floyd Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 817 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Floyd Lake?
- Little Floyd Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet. The lake covers 215.39 acres.
What fish are in Little Floyd Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Floyd Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Floyd Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Floyd Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 2021 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Little Floyd Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Floyd Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Little Floyd Lake thaw?
- Little Floyd Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 225 days.
Are there boat ramps on Little Floyd Lake?
- Little Floyd Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Floyd Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Little Floyd Lake?
- Little Floyd 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 Floyd 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 Becker County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Detroit Lakes Area area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Park Rapids Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Red River of the North Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Little Floyd Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
139 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA139 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 (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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate