Pocket Lake
Douglas County, Minnesota263 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Pocket Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 40 ft max depth
- Public access
Pocket Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 263.44 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 5, 2022 caught 2.83 walleye per gill net at Pocket Lake. DNR survey details →
Pocket Lake is a 263-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 40 feet (15-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Pocket Lake ranks #29 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pocket Lake covers about 260 acres in Douglas County. The median ice-out date is April 15, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Pocket Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Pocket Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 15
- Deep water40 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate 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 Pocket 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 Pocket Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Pocket Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.1 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 25µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 7.1µg/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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Pocket Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pocket Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 52 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pocket Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 5, 2022 caught 2.83 walleye per gill net at Pocket Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pocket Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-05 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-05 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 155.09 | ||
| Bluntnose Minnow | 29.25 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 23.03 | 3–10 in 2022-07-05 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 22.73 | 3–9 in 2022-07-05 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.45 | 3–18 in 2022-07-05 | 1.08 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2022-07-05 survey
Pocket Lake is a 263-acre relatively shallow, productive basin located in southcentral Douglas County within the Long Prairie watershed. Mean and maximum depths are 15 and 40 feet, respectively. This lake is not highly developed and recreational pressure is minimal. A public access is located on the southwest…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pocket Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PocketFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pocket (1066)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PocketFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PocketPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
40 ft
Average depth
15 ft
Surface area
263 acres
Shoreline
4.3 mi
Littoral zone
42%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
30 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,371 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pocket Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pocket Lake in Douglas 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 Pocket 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pocket Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.93 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.76 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 15
Earliest Mar 22, 2016 · Latest May 8, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 30
Earliest Nov 26, 2007 · Latest Dec 8, 2016
Most recent ice-out
Apr 25
2022
17 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Pocket Lake
Where is Pocket Lake?
- Pocket Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pocket Lake?
- Pocket Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 263.44 acres.
Is Pocket 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 Pocket Lake?
- Pocket Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 52 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pocket Lake?
- Pocket Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet and an average depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 263.44 acres.
What fish are in Pocket Lake?
- Fish species found in Pocket Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pocket Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pocket Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 5, 2022 caught 2.83 walleye per gill net at Pocket Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pocket Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Pocket Lake thaw?
- Pocket Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 229 days.
Can I fish at Pocket Lake?
- Public access to Pocket Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Pocket Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Douglas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
102 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA102 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 (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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate