Ox Yoke Lake

Ox Yoke Lake sits at the top of the Minnesota PCA grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Minnesota.

A TSI value of 36 puts Ox Yoke Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. The lake bottoms out at 42 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. The lake's 185 acres and 2.9 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Within Cass County's 132 graded waters, Ox Yoke Lake sits at rank 12, near the top of the local distribution.

Ox Yoke Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 13 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Ox Yoke Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been recorded 14 times at Ox Yoke Lake, with a median around Apr 17. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.