Mud Lake
Mud Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 56.59 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 57 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Wright County
Mud Lake is a 57-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet (21-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Mud Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 8.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 28 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.7 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Mud Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mud Lake in Wright 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Average Depth | 20.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 57 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 51% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- SkifstromPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mud Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2010-06-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 47.07 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 42.21 | 1.11 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 37.12 | 0.06 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 25.11 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Crappie | 10.53 | 0.23 lb |
| IOD | 9.07 | — |
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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
Yellow Perch
From the 2010-06-21 survey
Skifstrom (Mud) Lake is a small (56 acres) eutrophic lake located about six miles north of the city of Cokato. It has a maximum depth of 65 feet and poor water quality. Secchi disk transparency was five feet and dissolved oxygen was good down to 21 feet. The aquatic plant community is sparse. Only ten species of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mud Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MudFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MudPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | 0 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.15 µg/L/yr | 3 |
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Mud Lake
What is the water quality grade for Mud Lake?
- Mud Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 56.59 acres.
Is Mud Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Mud Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 8.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Mud Lake?
- Mud Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet and an average depth of 20.5 feet. The lake covers 56.59 acres.
What fish are in Mud Lake?
- Fish species found in Mud Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Mud Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Mud Lake?
- Mud Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Skifstrom. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Mud Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA39 samples · 2021–2023
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