Stay Lake
Stay Lake in Lincoln County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 178 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 37.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 221.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Max depth
- 6 ft
- Area
- 221 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Stay Lake →
Next lake in Lincoln County
Stay Lake is a 221-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Lincoln County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 6 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Lincoln County, Stay Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-15. 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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 178 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 37.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 74.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 178 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 37.4 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 74 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Stay Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Stay Lake in Lincoln 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Stay Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Stay 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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 6 ft |
| Surface Area | 221 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Stay LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Stay Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-25 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 69.53 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 52.65 | 0.23 lb |
| Common Carp | 19.68 | 2.02 lb |
| Black Crappie | 19.15 | 0.35 lb |
| Walleye | 11.16 | 2.49 lb |
| Bigmouth Buffalo | 4.11 | 2.28 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Common Carp
Black Crappie
From the 2025-08-25 survey
East Stay Lake is a shallow (max depth of 6 ft.) 224-acre, class 42 lake, located in Lincoln County. Despite aeration, partial winterkills occasionally occur. East Stay Lake has one of the few remaining natural spawning runs for Northern Pike in Windom fisheries management area, as it is connected to several shallow…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Stay Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StayFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StayFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StayPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Stay Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN41-0034-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Lincoln County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Stay Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Lincoln County
Frequently asked questions about Stay Lake
What is the water quality grade for Stay Lake?
- Stay Lake in Lincoln County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 178 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 37.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 221.2 acres.
Is Stay Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Stay Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 37.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Stay Lake?
- Stay Lake has a maximum depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 221.2 acres.
What fish are in Stay Lake?
- Fish species found in Stay Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Stay Lake is located in Lincoln County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Stay Lake?
- Stay Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Stay Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Stay Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Lincoln County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA12 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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