Minnow Lake
Minnow Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 109.8 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 24 ft
- Area
- 110 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Clearwater County
Minnow Lake is a 110-acre mesotrophic lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Clearwater County, Minnow Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-09. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Minnow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Minnow Lake in Clearwater 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
Minnow Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in Jun (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 284 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Minnow Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 24 ft |
| Surface Area | 110 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 80% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Minnow LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Minnow Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-24 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 67.24 | 0.3 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 23.28 | 0.42 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.00 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 14.36 | 0.15 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 8.66 | 0.15 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.56 | 1.86 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
Brown Bullhead
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-06-24 survey
Minnow Lake is a 110-acre, moderately developed lake located west of Bagley in central Clearwater County. Minnow Lake has a water clarity of 8 feet and a maximum depth of 24 feet. Emergent vegetation is abundant along the shoreline of this productive lake. Minnow Lake is known to occasionally winterkill due to its…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Minnow Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MinnowFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Minnow (1708)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MinnowFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MinnowPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.049 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.23 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.55 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 37 lakes in Clearwater County
Nearby Lakes in Clearwater County
Frequently asked questions about Minnow Lake
What is the water quality grade for Minnow Lake?
- Minnow Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 109.8 acres.
Is Minnow Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Minnow Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Minnow Lake?
- Minnow Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August, from 284 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Minnow Lake?
- Minnow Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 109.8 acres.
What fish are in Minnow Lake?
- Fish species found in Minnow Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch. Minnow Lake is located in Clearwater County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Minnow Lake?
- Minnow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Minnow Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Minnow Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
88 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
MNPCA88 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory