Little Split Hand Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota244 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Split Hand Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Split Hand Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 243.91 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 10, 2024 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Little Split Hand Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Split Hand Lake is a 244-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Split Hand Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing17 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 9
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Split Hand 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 Split Hand Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Split Hand 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 ft. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9ft | 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. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Little Split Hand Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Split Hand Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°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 (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Split Hand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 10, 2024 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Little Split Hand Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Split Hand Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-10 (Standard Survey).
17 surveys on file · most recent 2024-06-10 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 18.59 | 5–10 in 2024-06-10 | 0.15 lb |
| Black Crappie | 18.40 | 6–10 in 2024-06-10 | 0.35 lb |
| Bluegill | 15.28 | 3–8 in 2024-06-10 | 0.27 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.26 | 13–31 in 2024-06-10 | 1.82 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.07 | 13–14 in 2024-06-10 | 2.43 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.94 | 12–21 in 2018-06-11 | 2.26 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.
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Northern Pike
From the 2024-06-10 survey
Little Split Hand Lake is a shallow lake located 16 miles southeast of Grand Rapids, MN. It has moderately clear and fertile water. The 2019 lake management plan (LMP) listed Black Crappie and Bluegill as primary management species and Northern Pike as a secondary management species. Management goals included:…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Split Hand Lake. 5 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little Split HandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Split Hand (0550)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Split Hand (2053)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little Split HandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little Split HandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Surface area
244 acres
Shoreline
2.7 mi
Littoral zone
57%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
46 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,247 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Split Hand 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 Split Hand Lake
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Follow Little Split Hand Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Split Hand Lake
- → Little Split Hand Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Split Hand Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Split Hand Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Split Hand Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 9
Earliest Mar 31, 2021 · Latest May 3, 2018
Most recent ice-out
Apr 5
2024
10 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Little Split Hand Lake
Where is Little Split Hand Lake?
- Little Split Hand Lake is a lake in Itasca 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 Split Hand Lake?
- Little Split Hand Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 243.91 acres.
Is Little Split Hand Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Little Split Hand Lake?
- Little Split Hand Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Split Hand Lake?
- Little Split Hand Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 243.91 acres.
What fish are in Little Split Hand Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Split Hand Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Split Hand Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Split Hand Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 10, 2024 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Little Split Hand Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Split Hand Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Little Split Hand Lake thaw?
- Little Split Hand Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 9.
Are there boat ramps on Little Split Hand Lake?
- Little Split Hand Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Split Hand Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Little Split Hand Lake?
- Little Split Hand 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 Split Hand Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
42 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
MNPCA42 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic 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
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