Lobster Lake
Douglas County, Minnesota1,334 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Lobster Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 65 ft max depth
- Public access
Lobster Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 2.67 walleye per gill net at Lobster Lake. DNR survey details →
Lobster Lake is a 1,334-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet (15-foot average). 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 with 2 public boat landings. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lobster Lake covers about 1,300 acres in Douglas County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 21, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Lobster Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Lobster Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing18 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 21
- Deep water65 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,334 acres
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. Lobster Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lobster 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 Lobster Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Lobster 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 13 ft. Phosphorus 20.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.6 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.6µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lobster Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lobster Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (66°F) to its warmest (79°F).
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 ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 2.67 walleye per gill net at Lobster Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lobster 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
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Standard Survey).
17 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-21 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 28.41 | ||
| Bluegill | 25.39 | 2–9 in 2025-07-21 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.43 | 3–19 in 2025-07-21 | 0.6 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-07-21 survey
Lobster Lake is a 1,334 acre lake located about four miles west of Alexandria. The lake's irregular shape with many arms, bays, and islands has over 17 miles of shoreline and offers a rich diversity of fish habitat and fishing opportunities. The lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet and an average depth of 15 feet.…
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
Lake Details
Max depth
65 ft
Average depth
15 ft
Surface area
1,334 acres
Shoreline
17.3 mi
Littoral zone
52%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
24 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,358 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lobster LakePublic
- Lake Mary (North)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Lobster 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.11 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.35 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 21
Earliest Mar 24, 2016 · Latest May 3, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 3
Earliest Nov 13, 2018 · Latest Dec 18, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Apr 29
2023
18 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0144-01 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Lobster Lake
Where is Lobster Lake?
- Lobster Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lobster Lake?
- Lobster Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lobster Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lobster Lake?
- Lobster Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lobster Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 2.67 walleye per gill net at Lobster Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lobster 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 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.
Are there boat ramps on Lobster Lake?
- Lobster Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lobster Lake, Lake Mary (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lobster Lake?
- Lobster Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Lobster Lake across LakeQuality
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Compare Lobster Lake With Nearby Lakes
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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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate