Little Spirit Lake
Jackson County, Minnesota624 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Spirit Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 8 ft max depth
- Public access
Little Spirit Lake in Jackson County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 236 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 624.28 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 5.67 walleye per gill net at Little Spirit Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Spirit Lake is a 624-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jackson County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 8 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 23 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Little Spirit Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Little Spirit Lake covers about 620 acres in Jackson County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Little Spirit Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Little Spirit Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing23 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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 Spirit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Spirit 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 Spirit Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Spirit Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 236 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 19.3 µg/L. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 236µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 19.3µg/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. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Little Spirit Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Spirit Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 43 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Spirit Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 5.67 walleye per gill net at Little Spirit Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Spirit Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-10-09 (Targeted Survey).
14 surveys on file · most recent 2024-10-09 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 37.08 | 5–14 in 2024-07-22 | 0.61 lb |
| Bluegill | 31.35 | 3–7 in 2024-07-22 | 0.29 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 18.65 | 19 in 2020-07-27 | 1.68 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.73 | 5–11 in 2024-07-22 | 0.19 lb |
| Bigmouth Buffalo | 12.00 | 10–13 in 2024-07-22 | 3.79 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 11.49 |
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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-10-09 survey
Little Spirit Lake is a 643-acre, class 42 lake located on the Minnesota-Iowa border in Jackson County. Little Spirit Lake has a history of experiencing varying levels of partial winterkill and summer kill conditions due to low dissolved oxygen in the winter and severe algae blooms in the summer. Thus, Little Spirit…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Spirit 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 SpiritFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little SpiritFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little SpiritPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
8 ft
Surface area
624 acres
Shoreline
10.6 mi
Littoral zone
67%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
5 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,398 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Spirit 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 Spirit Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Spirit Lake in Jackson 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Little Spirit Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Spirit 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 Little Spirit Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Follow Little Spirit Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Spirit Lake
- → Little Spirit Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Spirit Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Spirit Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Spirit 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: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2021–2024).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+40.2 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-3.17 µg/L/yr4 years
EPA Impairment Status
Little Spirit 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, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN32-0024-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Little Spirit Lake
Where is Little Spirit Lake?
- Little Spirit Lake is a lake in Jackson 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 Spirit Lake?
- Little Spirit Lake in Jackson County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 236 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 624.28 acres.
Is Little Spirit Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Little Spirit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Little Spirit Lake?
- Little Spirit Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 43 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Spirit Lake?
- Little Spirit Lake has a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 624.28 acres.
What fish are in Little Spirit Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Spirit Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, gizzard shad, green sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, northern pike (silver phase), orangespotted sunfish, pumpkinseed, quillback, shortnose gar, walleye, white bass, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Spirit Lake is located in Jackson County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Spirit Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 5.67 walleye per gill net at Little Spirit Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Spirit Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Spirit Lake?
- Little Spirit Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Spirit Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Little Spirit Lake?
- Little Spirit 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 Spirit 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 Jackson County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Little Spirit Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Little Spirit Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
62 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX47 samples · 2021–2024 - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Unknown
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- In-Vitro Determination of Chlorophyll
- ISU modification of APHA 2130-B
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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