Lower Spunk Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota179 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Lower Spunk Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 28 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lower Spunk Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 27.5 ft. Surface area: 179.08 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 0.40 walleye per gill net at Lower Spunk Lake. DNR survey details →
Lower Spunk Lake is a 179-acre lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet (5-foot average). The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lower Spunk Lake covers about 180 acres in Stearns County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 10, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Lower Spunk Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Lower Spunk Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 10
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lower Spunk 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 Lower Spunk Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Lower Spunk 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 9.5 ft. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.5ft | 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 Lower Spunk Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lower Spunk Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (62°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 76 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lower Spunk Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 0.40 walleye per gill net at Lower Spunk Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lower Spunk 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-12 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-12 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 28.51 | ||
| Bluegill | 25.41 | 2–8 in 2023-06-12 | 0.14 lb |
| Northern Pike | 9.72 | 9–33 in 2023-06-12 | 1.68 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.16 | 5–20 in 2023-06-12 | 0.93 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
Northern Pike
Largemouth Bass
From the 2023-06-12 survey
Lower Spunk Lake is a 280-acre lake located partly within the city limits of Avon in north central Stearns County. There is a public access located on the south side of the lake with room for eight vehicle/trailers. The water quality of Lower Spunk Lake is generally very good with a 10-year average Secchi reading of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lower Spunk Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lower SpunkFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lower Spunk (0280)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Lower SpunkPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
27.5 ft
Average depth
5.1 ft
Surface area
179 acres
Shoreline
3.8 mi
Littoral zone
72%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
20 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,106 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lower Spunk 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 Lower Spunk Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lower Spunk Lake in Stearns 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 Lower Spunk 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 Lower Spunk Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lower Spunk Lake
- → Lower Spunk Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Lower Spunk Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Lower Spunk Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Lower Spunk 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: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 10
Earliest Apr 3, 2004 · Latest May 2, 2018
Typical ice-in
Nov 30
Earliest Nov 18, 2002 · Latest Dec 27, 2007
Most recent ice-out
Apr 17
2022
16 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Lower Spunk Lake
Where is Lower Spunk Lake?
- Lower Spunk Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lower Spunk Lake?
- Lower Spunk Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 27.5 ft. Surface area: 179.08 acres.
Is Lower Spunk 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 Lower Spunk Lake?
- Lower Spunk Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 76 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lower Spunk Lake?
- Lower Spunk Lake has a maximum depth of 27.5 feet and an average depth of 5.1 feet. The lake covers 179.08 acres.
What fish are in Lower Spunk Lake?
- Fish species found in Lower Spunk Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lower Spunk Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lower Spunk Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 0.40 walleye per gill net at Lower Spunk Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lower Spunk 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 Lower Spunk Lake thaw?
- Lower Spunk Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 10. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 234 days.
Are there boat ramps on Lower Spunk Lake?
- Lower Spunk Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lower Spunk Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lower Spunk Lake?
- Lower Spunk 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 Lower Spunk Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Stearns County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Lower Spunk Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
107 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA107 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
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