Stump Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Stump Lake pulls an A: clarity at 12.5 ft and 20 µg/L of phosphorus put it in the top bracket for Minnesota. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Minnesota lakes fall. The lake bottoms out at 24 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 323 acres, Stump Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 9.8 miles of shoreline. Stump Lake ranks 39 of 86 in Beltrami County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Stump Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 12 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Stump Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been recorded 5 times at Stump Lake, with a median around Apr 23. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.