Midge Lake
Midge Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 545.74 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 24 ft
- Area
- 546 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 17
- Open water
- 210 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Midge Lake is a 546-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Midge Lake ranks #28 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus level: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Midge Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Midge Lake in Hubbard 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
Midge Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 77 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Midge Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 24 ft |
| Surface Area | 546 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 91% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Midge LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Midge Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-28 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 62.32 | 0.4 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 54.80 | — |
| Bluegill | 31.70 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 25.37 | 0.18 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 13.77 | — |
| Northern Pike | 10.89 | 2.82 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
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2021-06-28 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Midge Lake was conducted June 30 - July 1, 2021 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Midge Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MidgeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Midge (1257)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MidgeFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MidgePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.031 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.7 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (75 observations).
Estimated open water season: 210 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-17 (2024) | 2022-05-06 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 1968-10-24 (1968) | 2024-11-26 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-20
EPA Impairment Status
Midge 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 MN29-0066-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #28 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Midge Lake
What is the water quality grade for Midge Lake?
- Midge Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 545.74 acres.
Is Midge Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Midge Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Midge Lake?
- Midge Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 77 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Midge Lake?
- Midge Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 545.74 acres.
What fish are in Midge Lake?
- Fish species found in Midge Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Midge Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does Midge Lake thaw?
- Midge Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Nov 13. The open water season is approximately 210 days.
Are there boat ramps on Midge Lake?
- Midge Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Midge Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Midge Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Hubbard County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Park Rapids Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
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Where this data comes from
138 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA138 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 (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
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