Lobster Lake
Lobster Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 1334.25 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Typical in August
- 79°F
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 1,334 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 21
- Open water
- 226 days
Next lake in Douglas County
Lobster Lake is a 1,334-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet (15-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Lobster Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 20.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Lobster Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lobster Lake in Douglas 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.
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Water Temperature
Lobster Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 66°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lobster Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lobster Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (97,275 cells/mL) on May 2, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Average Depth | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,334 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 17.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 52% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lobster Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-02 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKS | 78.14 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 28.41 | — |
| Bluegill | 25.26 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.78 | 0.58 lb |
| BKF | 11.92 | — |
| IOD | 4.92 | — |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2023-05-02 survey
A mark-recapture population estimate of Muskies began in spring of 2022 on Lobster Lake using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags (see 2022 targeted survey). Fish were sampled using both large frame trap nets and electrofishing in 2022. In spring of 2023, fish were recaptured using exclusively electrofishing. A…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lobster Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LobsterFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lobster (1078)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LobsterFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LobsterPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.001 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.11 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.35 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (18 observations).
Estimated open water season: 226 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-24 (2016) | 2018-05-03 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-13 (2018) | 2015-12-18 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-29
EPA Impairment Status
Lobster Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0144-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.88 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 37 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Lobster Lake
What is the water quality grade for Lobster Lake?
- Lobster Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 1334.25 acres.
Is Lobster Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Lobster Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Lobster Lake?
- Lobster Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in August, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lobster Lake?
- Lobster Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet and an average depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 1334.25 acres.
What fish are in Lobster Lake?
- Fish species found in Lobster Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lobster Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
When does Lobster Lake thaw?
- Lobster Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 21. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 226 days.
Does Lobster Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lobster Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (97,275 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
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Where this data comes from
353 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA353 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 (5)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate