Middle Sucker Lake
Middle Sucker Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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.
- Clarity
- 4.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 286 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Middle Sucker Lake →
Next lake in Cass County
Middle Sucker Lake is a 286-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 17.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 56.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 34 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 17.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Middle Sucker Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Middle Sucker Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Middle Sucker Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. 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.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 143 field readings (2023–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 286 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 52% |
| Public Access | No |
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 Middle Sucker Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 30.40 | 0.42 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 24.97 | 0.2 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.01 | 1.71 lb |
| Bluegill | 6.65 | 0.35 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 3.96 | 0.5 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.49 | 0.59 lb |
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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.54 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.7 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #103 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Middle Sucker Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Middle Sucker Lake
What is the water quality grade for Middle Sucker Lake?
- Middle Sucker Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Middle Sucker Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 17.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Middle Sucker Lake?
- Middle Sucker Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, 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.
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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)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder