Ray Lake
Ray Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 142.74 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 27 ft
- Area
- 143 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 11
- Open water
- 226 days
Next lake in Cass County
Ray Lake is a 143-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 27 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 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Ray Lake ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Ray Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 10.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 11.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Ray Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ray Lake in Cass 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 Ray 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
Ray Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 58 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ray Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft |
| Surface Area | 143 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 78% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Gull NarrowsPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ray 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-16 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 29.33 | 0.14 lb |
| BNS | 22.50 | — |
| CNM | 16.72 | — |
| BCS | 10.79 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 7.79 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 5.10 | 0.61 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
Black Bullhead
From the 2025-06-16 survey
Ray is a small 136 acre lake that is part of the Gull Chain of Lakes and can be accessed through channels from Upper Gull Lake and Spider Lake. Ray receives plenty of recreational traffic as boats navigate between Gull and Nisswa Lakes. A special regulation enacted in 2024 requires the immediate release of all…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ray Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RayFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Ray (1616)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.143 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (15 observations).
Estimated open water season: 226 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-12 (2024) | 2022-05-02 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-10 (2018) | 2024-11-30 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-09
County Ranking
Ranked #22 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Ray Lake
What is the water quality grade for Ray Lake?
- Ray Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 142.74 acres.
Is Ray Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Ray Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Ray Lake?
- Ray Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 58 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ray Lake?
- Ray Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 142.74 acres.
What fish are in Ray Lake?
- Fish species found in Ray Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Ray Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
When does Ray Lake thaw?
- Ray Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 11. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 226 days.
Are there boat ramps on Ray Lake?
- Ray Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Gull Narrows. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Ray Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cass County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Brainerd Lakes area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Ray Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
100 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA100 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
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