Paine Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota240 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Paine Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 6 ft max depth
- Public access
Paine Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 239.75 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 18, 2016 caught 0.20 walleye per trap net at Paine Lake. DNR survey details →
Paine Lake is a 240-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 6 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including bluegill, brown bullhead, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Paine Lake ranks #55 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Paine Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing9 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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 Paine 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 Paine Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Paine Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft. Phosphorus 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.7µg/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. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Paine Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Paine Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (62°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 28 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Paine Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 18, 2016 caught 0.20 walleye per trap net at Paine Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Paine Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-07-18 (Standard Survey).
3 surveys on file · most recent 2016-07-18 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 33.97 | 3–10 in 2016-07-18 | 0.17 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 10.23 | 3–8 in 2016-07-18 | 0.24 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.43 | 4–5 in 2016-07-18 | 0.09 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.83 | 5–14 in 2016-07-18 | 0.47 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 3.20 | 3–8 in 2016-07-18 | 0.36 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.77 | 13–29 in 2016-07-18 | 2.1 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
Largemouth Bass
From the 2016-07-18 survey
Paine Lake is located in northern Hubbard County, adjacent to the town of Lake George. Paine Lake is a very shallow lake, with a surface area of 239 acres and a maximum depth of only 6 feet. A county-owned public access and park is located on the north shore of the lake. Paine Lake is subject to occasional partial…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Paine Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PaineFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Paine (1268)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PainePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
6 ft
Surface area
240 acres
Shoreline
3.3 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Lake GeorgePublic
- Lake George Community ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Paine Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Paine 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 Paine 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 Paine 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 Paine Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.51 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.11 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Paine Lake
Where is Paine Lake?
- Paine 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 Paine Lake?
- Paine Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 239.75 acres.
Is Paine 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 Paine Lake?
- Paine Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 28 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Paine Lake?
- Paine Lake has a maximum depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 239.75 acres.
What fish are in Paine Lake?
- Fish species found in Paine Lake include bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Paine Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Paine Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 18, 2016 caught 0.20 walleye per trap net at Paine Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Paine Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Paine Lake?
- Paine Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake George, Lake George Community Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Paine Lake?
- Paine Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Paine Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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 Paine Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
46 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA46 samples · 2024–2025
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