Spider Lake
Spider Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 144.91 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.2 ft
- Max depth
- 17 ft
- Area
- 145 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cass County
Spider Lake is a 145-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, brown bullhead, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Spider Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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 10.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Spider Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spider 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 17 ft |
| Surface Area | 145 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 52% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Spider LakePublic
- Green LakePublic
- Fish LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Spider Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-08-07 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 23.84 | 0.13 lb |
| GOS | 23.13 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.63 | 0.37 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 11.63 | 0.94 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.45 | 1.11 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 8.17 | 0.28 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.
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
Brown Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
From the 2017-08-07 survey
Spider Lake is an 85 acre lake located in the Foothills State Forest nine miles north of Leader in Cass County. Spider is fairly shallow, with 88% being 15' deep or less. A small public access is located on the west shore. Several campsites are located on the northern and eastern shore and are frequently used by ATV…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Spider Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SpiderFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Spider (1131)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SpiderFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SpiderPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
County Ranking
Ranked #19 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Spider Lake
What is the water quality grade for Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 144.91 acres.
Is Spider Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Spider Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 144.91 acres.
What fish are in Spider Lake?
- Fish species found in Spider Lake include black crappie, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Spider Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Spider Lake, Green Lake, Fish Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Spider Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2020
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 (1)
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