Spearhead Lake
Spearhead Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 81 ft. Surface area: 194.36 acres.
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Typical in August
- 56°F
- Max depth
- 81 ft
- Area
- 194 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 15
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Why Spearhead Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Spearhead Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Spearhead Lake is a 194-acre lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 81 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Spearhead Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Spearhead Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spearhead 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 Spearhead Lake
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Water Temperature
Spearhead Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 61°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 66°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 179 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Spearhead Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 81 ft |
| Surface Area | 194 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 11% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Spearhead Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-08 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| GOS | 27.04 | 0.05 lb |
| CNM | 19.02 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 16.75 | — |
| BCS | 14.03 | — |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 14.03 | 0.61 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 10.87 | 0.15 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.
GOS
Tullibee (Cisco)
Black Bullhead
From the 2023-08-08 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Spearhead Lake was conducted on August 8-9, 2023, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Spearhead Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SpearheadFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.174 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (7 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-09 (2005) | 2022-05-07 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-15 (2002) | 2021-12-08 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-07
Graded lakes near Spearhead Lake
Spearhead Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Spearhead Lake
What is the water quality grade for Spearhead Lake?
- Spearhead Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 81 ft. Surface area: 194.36 acres.
Is Spearhead Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Spearhead Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Spearhead Lake?
- Spearhead Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August, from 179 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Spearhead Lake?
- Spearhead Lake has a maximum depth of 81 feet. The lake covers 194.36 acres.
What fish are in Spearhead Lake?
- Fish species found in Spearhead Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Spearhead Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does Spearhead Lake thaw?
- Spearhead Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Explore Spearhead Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
110 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
MNPCA109 samples · 2020–2025 - Minnesota Department of Agriculture - Pesticide Monitoring
MNDA_PESTICIDE1 sample · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate