Strawberry Lake
Strawberry Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 17.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 40 ft
- Area
- 1,498 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 29
- Open water
- 209 days
Next lake in Becker County
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. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 2 public boat landings. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Strawberry Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria A
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.
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.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 17.5 ft down. Phosphorus level: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 34.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 34 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay 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
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 →
Water Temperature
Strawberry Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 40 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,498 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 38% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Strawberry LakePublic
- Woodland Trails ResortSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Strawberry Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-24 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.98 | — |
| Bluegill | 20.88 | 0.23 lb |
| GOS | 14.59 | — |
| Rock Bass | 10.34 | 0.37 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.55 | 0.13 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 9.28 | — |
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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.122 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (13 observations).
Estimated open water season: 209 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-24 (2012) | 2008-05-09 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2023-11-20 (2023) | 2024-12-01 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-22
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 84 lakes in Becker County
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Strawberry Lake
What is the water quality grade for Strawberry Lake?
- Strawberry Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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 works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Strawberry Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Minnesota's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Strawberry Lake?
- Strawberry Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, 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.
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 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Strawberry Lake, Woodland Trails Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Strawberry 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 Becker County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Detroit Lakes Area area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Park Rapids Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Red River of the North Watershed, ranked by water quality
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Strawberry Lake With Nearby Lakes
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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate