Middle Sucker Lake
Cass County, Minnesota286 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Middle Sucker Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 20 ft max depth
Middle Sucker Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 286.07 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 2021 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Middle Sucker Lake. DNR survey details →
Middle Sucker Lake is a 286-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Middle Sucker Lake ranks #103 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Middle Sucker Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing12 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Middle Sucker 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 Middle Sucker Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Middle Sucker Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.8 ft. Phosphorus 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 17.7 µg/L. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 34µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 17.7µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Middle Sucker Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Middle Sucker Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 70°F) and coldest in Oct (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (70°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 143 field readings (2023–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 2021 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Middle Sucker Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Middle Sucker Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-14 (Standard Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2021-06-14 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 30.40 | 5–11 in 2021-06-14 | 0.42 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 24.97 | 2–9 in 2021-06-14 | 0.2 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.01 | 9–30 in 2021-06-14 | 1.71 lb |
| Bluegill | 6.65 | 2–9 in 2021-06-14 | 0.35 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 3.96 | 3–11 in 2021-06-14 | 0.5 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.49 | 6–11 in 2021-06-14 | 0.59 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Bluegill
From the 2021-06-14 survey
Middle Sucker Lake (DOW#11-0317, Lake Class 34) is a 286-acre lake with 150 littoral acres, 3.2 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 20 feet. Middle Sucker Lake is located nine miles southeast of Cass Lake, MN. There is a US Forest Service owned earthen access on the channel between Middle Sucker and Upper Sucker…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Middle Sucker Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Middle SuckerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Middle Sucker (1623)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
20 ft
Surface area
286 acres
Shoreline
3.2 mi
Littoral zone
52%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
15 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,289 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Middle Sucker Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Middle Sucker Lake in Cass 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 Middle Sucker Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Middle Sucker 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 Middle Sucker Lake
- → Middle Sucker Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Middle Sucker Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Middle Sucker Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Middle Sucker Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2023–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.7 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Middle Sucker Lake
Where is Middle Sucker Lake?
- Middle Sucker Lake is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Middle Sucker Lake?
- Middle Sucker Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 286.07 acres.
Is Middle Sucker 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 Middle Sucker Lake?
- Middle Sucker Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October, from 143 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Middle Sucker Lake?
- Middle Sucker Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 286.07 acres.
What fish are in Middle Sucker Lake?
- Fish species found in Middle Sucker Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Middle Sucker Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Middle Sucker Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 2021 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Middle Sucker Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Middle Sucker Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Middle Sucker Lake?
- Public access to Middle Sucker Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Middle Sucker Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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