Steamboat Bay Lake
Cass County, Minnesota103,444 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Steamboat Bay Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 150 ft max depth
- Public access
Steamboat Bay Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 150 ft. Surface area: 103443.8 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on May 14, 2025 caught 5.78 walleye per gill net at Steamboat Bay Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–26 inches. DNR survey details →
Steamboat Bay Lake is a 103,444-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 150 feet (19-foot average). The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Steamboat Bay Lake ranks #64 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 103,000 acres, Steamboat Bay Lake is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. The median ice-out date is April 28, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Steamboat Bay Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Steamboat Bay Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water9.8 ft of visibility
- Fishing18 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 28
- Deep water150 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water103,444 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Steamboat Bay 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 Steamboat Bay Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Steamboat Bay Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.8 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3µg/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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Steamboat Bay Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on May 14, 2025 caught 5.78 walleye per gill net at Steamboat Bay Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Steamboat Bay Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
33 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-05-14 (Standard Survey).
33 surveys on file · most recent 2025-05-14 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 260.48 | 1–12 in 2025-05-14 | 0.21 lb |
| Walleye | 31.79 | 2–26 in 2025-05-14 | 0.82 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 15.94 | 1–4 in 2025-05-14 |
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.
Yellow Perch
Walleye
Spottail Shiner
From the 2025-05-14 survey
Leech Lake is the third largest lake entirely within the boundaries of Minnesota and has approximately 112,000 surface acres. The lake has an irregular shape with a variety of large and small bays. The deepest area of the lake is in Walker Bay where depths approach 160 feet. Approximately 80% of the lake is less than…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Steamboat Bay Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LeechFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Leech (1567)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LeechFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LeechPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
150 ft
Average depth
18.5 ft
Surface area
103,444 acres
Shoreline
194.9 mi
Littoral zone
56%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Steamboat Bay Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Steamboat Bay 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 Steamboat Bay Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Steamboat Bay Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Steamboat Bay Lake
- → Steamboat Bay Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Steamboat Bay Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Steamboat Bay Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Steamboat Bay Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 28
Earliest Apr 2, 2012 · Latest May 23, 1950
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 20, 2018 · Latest Dec 17, 1998
Most recent ice-out
Apr 26
2025
231 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Steamboat Bay Lake
Where is Steamboat Bay Lake?
- Steamboat Bay Lake is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Steamboat Bay Lake?
- Steamboat Bay Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 150 ft. Surface area: 103443.8 acres.
Is Steamboat Bay Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Steamboat Bay Lake?
- Steamboat Bay Lake has a maximum depth of 150 feet and an average depth of 18.5 feet. The lake covers 103443.8 acres.
What fish are in Steamboat Bay Lake?
- Fish species found in Steamboat Bay Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Steamboat Bay Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Steamboat Bay Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on May 14, 2025 caught 5.78 walleye per gill net at Steamboat Bay Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–26 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Steamboat Bay Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Steamboat Bay Lake thaw?
- Steamboat Bay Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 28. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 217 days.
Can I fish at Steamboat Bay Lake?
- Public access to Steamboat Bay Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Steamboat Bay Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
87 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX87 samples · 2021–2023
Analytical methods
- 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
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate