Nokay Lake
Nokay Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 703.56 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 42 ft
- Area
- 704 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 222 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Why Nokay Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Nokay Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Nokay Lake is a 704-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-28. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Nokay Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.2 ft. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Nokay Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nokay Lake in Crow Wing 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 Nokay Lake
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Water Temperature
Nokay Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 58 field readings (2016–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Nokay Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 704 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 31% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Nokay LakePublic
- Butternut LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Nokay Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-06-29 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 50.86 | — |
| IOD | 24.13 | — |
| JND | 22.12 | — |
| Bluegill | 20.41 | 0.15 lb |
| BKF | 19.46 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.95 | 0.96 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2020-06-29 survey
Nokay Lake is a 660 acre lake located 10 miles east of Brainerd in Crow Wing County. A small public access is located on the west side of the lake. Nokay reaches depths of 42 feet, with 33% of the lake 15' deep or less. The shoreline is moderately developed with one resort present. Extensive bulrush beds are located…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Nokay Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — NokayFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Nokay (0031)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — NokayFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — NokayPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.358 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (20 observations).
Estimated open water season: 222 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-14 (2024) | 2008-04-30 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2017-11-19 (2017) | 2015-12-18 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-13
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Nokay Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Nokay Lake (completed 1966), built primarily for recreation on the Nokasippi River; earth-type dam, 8 ft tall and 32 ft long.
- Surface area
- 697 ac
- Normal storage
- 30 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 120 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 24.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00735 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Nokay 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 MN18-0104-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Nokay Lake
Nokay Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Nokay Lake
What is the water quality grade for Nokay Lake?
- Nokay Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 703.56 acres.
Is Nokay Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Nokay Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Nokay Lake?
- Nokay Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 58 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Nokay Lake?
- Nokay Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 703.56 acres.
What fish are in Nokay Lake?
- Fish species found in Nokay Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Nokay Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Nokay Lake thaw?
- Nokay Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 222 days.
Are there boat ramps on Nokay Lake?
- Nokay Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nokay Lake, Butternut Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Nokay Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
35 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA35 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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