Strawberry Lake
Becker County, Minnesota1,498 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Strawberry Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 40 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Strawberry Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 1497.74 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 24, 2023 caught 8.44 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Strawberry Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Strawberry Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 37 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Strawberry Lake is a 1,498-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 40 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Strawberry Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Strawberry Lake covers about 1,500 acres in Becker County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 29, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Strawberry Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Strawberry Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 29
- Deep water40 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,498 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: low
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Strawberry Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 7 samples across 2 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Strawberry 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 Strawberry Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Strawberry Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 17.5 ft down. Phosphorus 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.3 µg/L. TSI 34.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 17.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 7.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.3µg/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. | 34 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Strawberry Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Strawberry Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 75°F) and coldest in Oct (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 110 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Strawberry Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Strawberry Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (7,047 cells/mL) on December 6, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 24, 2023 caught 8.44 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Strawberry Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Strawberry Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-24 (Targeted Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2023-07-24 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.98 | ||
| Bluegill | 20.88 | 3–8 in 2022-07-25 | 0.23 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 14.59 | ||
| Rock Bass | 10.34 | 2–10 in 2022-07-25 | 0.37 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.55 | 5–9 in 2022-07-25 | 0.13 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 9.28 |
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
Rock Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2023-07-24 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Strawberry Lake, which lies within the boundaries of the White Earth Reservation, was conducted on July 24-27, 2023, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Strawberry Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StrawberryFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Strawberry (1003)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StrawberryFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StrawberryPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
40 ft
Surface area
1,498 acres
Shoreline
7.4 mi
Littoral zone
38%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,480 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Strawberry LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Strawberry Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Strawberry Lake in Becker 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 Strawberry 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 →
Follow Strawberry Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Strawberry Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 29
Earliest Mar 24, 2012 · Latest May 9, 2008
Typical ice-in
Nov 24
Earliest Nov 20, 2023 · Latest Dec 1, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Apr 22
2025
13 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Strawberry Lake
Where is Strawberry Lake?
- Strawberry Lake is a lake in Becker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Strawberry Lake?
- Strawberry Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 1497.74 acres.
Is Strawberry Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Strawberry Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 7 samples across 2 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Strawberry Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Strawberry Lake?
- Strawberry Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October, from 110 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Strawberry Lake?
- Strawberry Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet. The lake covers 1497.74 acres.
What fish are in Strawberry Lake?
- Fish species found in Strawberry Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Strawberry Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Strawberry Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 24, 2023 caught 8.44 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Strawberry Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Strawberry Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Strawberry Lake thaw?
- Strawberry Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 29. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 209 days.
Does Strawberry Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Strawberry Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (7,047 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Strawberry Lake?
- Strawberry Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Strawberry Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Strawberry Lake?
- Strawberry 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 Strawberry Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Becker County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
81 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
MNPCA49 samples · 2020–2025 - Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (White Earth Band) (Tribal)
WEARTH_WQX32 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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 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