Nelson Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota40 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Nelson Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 20 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Nelson Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19.5 ft. Surface area: 40.34 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 29, 2015 caught 2.00 walleye per gill net at Nelson Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 18–26 inches. DNR survey details →
Nelson Lake is a 40-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including bluegill, largemouth bass, and northern pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Nelson Lake ranks #39 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Nelson Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing6 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Nelson 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 Nelson Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Nelson Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft. Phosphorus 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.3 µg/L. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.3µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 39 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Nelson Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Nelson Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (64°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 31 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Nelson Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 29, 2015 caught 2.00 walleye per gill net at Nelson Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 18–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Nelson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2015-07-29 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2015-07-29 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 46.69 | 2–8 in 2015-07-29 | 0.09 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 6.94 | 2–8 in 2015-07-29 | 0.12 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 6.08 | 5–7 in 2015-07-29 | 0.27 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.60 | 15–33 in 2015-07-29 | 1.76 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 2.29 | 4–13 in 2015-07-29 | 0.49 lb |
| Walleye | 1.32 | 18–26 in 2015-07-29 | 3.35 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.
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2015-07-29 survey
Nelson Lake is located six miles southwest of Laporte, and is within the Paul Bunyan State Forest. Nelson has a surface area of 40 acres and a maximum depth of 19.5 feet. There is a state owned primitive campground and public access on the northeast shore of the lake. The Minnesota DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Nelson Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — NelsonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Nelson (1313)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — NelsonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
19.5 ft
Surface area
40 acres
Shoreline
1.2 mi
Littoral zone
79%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Nelson LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Nelson Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nelson 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Nelson 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 →
Follow Nelson Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Nelson Lake
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Nelson Lake
Where is Nelson Lake?
- Nelson Lake is a lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Nelson Lake?
- Nelson Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19.5 ft. Surface area: 40.34 acres.
Is Nelson 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 Nelson Lake?
- Nelson Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 31 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Nelson Lake?
- Nelson Lake has a maximum depth of 19.5 feet. The lake covers 40.34 acres.
What fish are in Nelson Lake?
- Fish species found in Nelson Lake include bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Nelson Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Nelson Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 29, 2015 caught 2.00 walleye per gill net at Nelson Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 18–26 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Nelson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Nelson Lake?
- Nelson Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nelson Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Nelson Lake?
- Nelson Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Nelson Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest 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 readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Nelson Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA40 samples · 2023
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory