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LakeQuality
A

Potato Lake

Hubbard County, MinnesotaLimited DataOligotrophic

Potato Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Hubbard County. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. Potato Lake is unusually deep for Minnesota at 76 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. Potato Lake covers 1,643 acres alongside 9.1 miles of shoreline, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Among the 77 graded lakes in Hubbard County, Potato Lake sits at rank 29, above the county median.

Potato Lake is on the Minnesota infested-waters list for zebra mussels — boaters should follow clean-drain-dry protocols when moving gear to or from the lake. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 14 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Potato Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 23 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 25. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-02-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae

Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent

Crystal clear, you can see 23 ft down. Trophic State Index: 32.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)23 ftA
PhosphorusNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)32Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth76 ft
Average Depth26 ft
Surface Area1.6K acres
Shoreline Length9.1 mi
Littoral Zone40%
Public AccessYes

Fish Species

Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.

→ Best fishing times for Potato Lake (14-day solunar calendar)

→ Is it safe to eat fish from Potato Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)

Potato Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Invasive Species

zebra mussel

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable0 m/yr2
See year-by-year chart →

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (35 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
Apr 25
Typical Ice-In
Nov 28

Estimated open water season: 217 days

EarliestLatest
Ice-Out2024-03-17 (2024)2013-05-11 (2013)
Ice-In2018-11-20 (2018)2015-12-19 (2015)

Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-17

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #29 of 77 lakes in Hubbard County

Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County

State Parks Near Potato Lake

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-11 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Bluegill28.740.14 lb
Bluntnose Minnow25.27
Yellow Perch13.120.12 lb
CNM10.25
BCS7.90
Largemouth Bass7.691.03 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

591 fish · 28 in · 2022-07-11
1487402345678

Yellow Perch

92 fish · 59 in · 2022-07-11
4322056789

Largemouth Bass

119 fish · 518 in · 2022-07-11
189056789101112131415161718

From the 2022-07-11 survey

Fish Hook Lake is located two miles north of Park Rapids in west-central Hubbard County. Fish Hook has a surface area of 1,643 acres and a maximum depth of 76 feet. A DNR owned public access is located on the west shore of the lake off US-71. Access is also available from the Fish Hook River, with a county access in…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Potato Lake. 4 reports on file.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate

Most recent sample: 2025-02-23

Monitoring stations: 1