Pickerel Lake
Pickerel Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 310.29 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 26 ft
- Area
- 310 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 18
- Open water
- 217 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Pickerel Lake is a 310-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 26 feet (6-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Pickerel Lake ranks #14 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Pickerel Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pickerel Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pickerel 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 Pickerel Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Pickerel Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 58 field readings (2021–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pickerel Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pickerel Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (570,164 cells/mL) on May 18, 2024.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 26 ft |
| Average Depth | 6 ft |
| Surface Area | 310 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 87% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pickerel LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pickerel Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-07-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 37.36 | — |
| BNS | 28.80 | — |
| Bluegill | 16.35 | 0.12 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 12.21 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.84 | 1.13 lb |
| BCS | 7.55 | — |
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
Largemouth Bass
From the 2021-07-12 survey
Pickerel Lake is located ten miles north of Park Rapids in central Hubbard County. Pickerel Lake is a relatively shallow lake with a surface area of 310 acres and a maximum depth of 26 feet. There is a state-owned earthen public access located on the south shore of the east basin. Pickerel provides angling…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pickerel Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PickerelFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pickerel (1302)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PickerelFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PickerelPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.154 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.59 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.36 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (28 observations).
Estimated open water season: 217 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-14 (2024) | 2013-05-10 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2017-11-07 (2017) | 2025-11-29 (2025) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-16
EPA Impairment Status
Pickerel 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 MN29-0178-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #14 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Pickerel Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 310.29 acres.
Is Pickerel Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pickerel Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 58 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet and an average depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 310.29 acres.
What fish are in Pickerel Lake?
- Fish species found in Pickerel Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pickerel Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does Pickerel Lake thaw?
- Pickerel Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Nov 21. The open water season is approximately 217 days.
Does Pickerel Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pickerel Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (570,164 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pickerel Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pickerel Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded 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 grade
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Pickerel Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
88 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA88 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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