Paine Lake
Paine Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 4.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 6 ft
- Area
- 240 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Hubbard County
Paine Lake is a 240-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 6 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Paine Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 6 ft |
| Surface Area | 240 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Lake GeorgePublic
- Lake George Community ParkPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Paine Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-07-18 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 33.97 | 0.17 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 10.23 | 0.24 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.43 | 0.09 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.83 | 0.47 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 3.20 | 0.36 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.77 | 2.1 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
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.557 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.51 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.11 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Paine 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 MN29-0216-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.52 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #55 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Paine Lake
What is the water quality grade for Paine Lake?
- Paine Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Paine Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Paine Lake?
- Paine Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Paine Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Hubbard County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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State Parks Near Paine Lake
Other Grade A 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)
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