Shamineau Lake
Morrison County, Minnesota1,434 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Shamineau Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 52 ft max depth
- Public access
Shamineau Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 1434.02 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on April 15, 2025 caught 34.29 muskellunge per hour of electrofishing at Shamineau Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–50 inches. DNR survey details →
Shamineau Lake is a 1,434-acre mesotrophic lake in Morrison County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 52 feet (17-foot average). Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Morrison County, Shamineau Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Shamineau Lake covers about 1,400 acres in Morrison County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 20, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Shamineau Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Shamineau Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing18 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 20
- Deep water52 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,434 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow 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. Shamineau Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Shamineau 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 Shamineau Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Shamineau Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4µg/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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Shamineau Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Shamineau Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Shamineau Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on April 15, 2025 caught 34.29 muskellunge per hour of electrofishing at Shamineau Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–50 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shamineau Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
24 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-04-15 (Targeted Survey).
24 surveys on file · most recent 2025-04-15 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 46.33 | ||
| Bluegill | 30.48 | 3–8 in 2025-04-15 | 0.11 lb |
| Muskellunge | 21.13 | 12–50 in 2025-04-15 | 12.63 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 18.50 | 8–19 in 2025-04-15 | 0.83 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 14.52 | ||
| Walleye | 10.13 | 6–30 in 2025-04-15 | 1.89 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.
Bluegill
Muskellunge
Largemouth Bass
Walleye
From the 2025-04-15 survey
Shamineau Lake (DOW # 49-0127-00; Lake Class 27) is a 1,434-acre lake located near Motley, Minnesota. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned concrete boat ramp is located on the west shore and a township owned gravel boat ramp is located on the east shore. Shamineau Lake has 10.34 miles of shoreline…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Shamineau Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ShamineauFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Shamineau (1914)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ShamineauFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ShamineauPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
52 ft
Average depth
17 ft
Surface area
1,434 acres
Shoreline
10.3 mi
Littoral zone
52%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
7 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,263 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Shamineau Lake (East)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Shamineau Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shamineau Lake in Morrison 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 Shamineau Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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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 Shamineau 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: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.34 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.04 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 20
Earliest Mar 24, 2012 · Latest May 14, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 21, 2017 · Latest Dec 19, 2015
Most recent ice-out
May 4
2022
76 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Shamineau Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN49-0127-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Morrison County
Frequently asked questions about Shamineau Lake
Where is Shamineau Lake?
- Shamineau Lake is a lake in Morrison County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Shamineau Lake?
- Shamineau Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 1434.02 acres.
Is Shamineau Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Shamineau Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Shamineau Lake?
- Shamineau Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 26 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Shamineau Lake?
- Shamineau Lake has a maximum depth of 52 feet and an average depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 1434.02 acres.
What fish are in Shamineau Lake?
- Fish species found in Shamineau Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Shamineau Lake is located in Morrison County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Shamineau Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on April 15, 2025 caught 34.29 muskellunge per hour of electrofishing at Shamineau Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–50 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shamineau Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Shamineau Lake thaw?
- Shamineau Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 225 days.
Are there boat ramps on Shamineau Lake?
- Shamineau Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Shamineau Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Shamineau Lake?
- Shamineau Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Shamineau Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Morrison County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Compare Shamineau Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
76 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
MNPCA76 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 (2)
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
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