Sucker Lake
Sucker Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 111 ft. Surface area: 25952.96 acres.
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Max depth
- 111 ft
- Area
- 25,953 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- May 5
Next lake in Lake County
Why Sucker Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Sucker Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Sucker Lake is a 25,953-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 111 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and lake whitefish. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-21. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Sucker Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sucker Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sucker Lake in Lake 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 Sucker Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 111 ft |
| Surface Area | 25,953 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 332.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 27% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sucker Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 9.84 | 1.62 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.06 | 0.34 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.94 | 0.2 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 3.54 | 0.89 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.33 | 2.79 lb |
| CIS | 3.25 | 0.52 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.
Walleye
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2025-08-07 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Basswood Lake on August 7th, 2025. This was done to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Whitefish, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sucker Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BasswoodFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.073 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 1998-04-14 (1998) | 2014-05-14 (2014) |
Most recent ice-out: 2014-05-14
EPA Impairment Status
Sucker Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0530-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Sucker Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sucker Lake?
- Sucker Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 111 ft. Surface area: 25952.96 acres.
Is Sucker Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Sucker Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Sucker Lake?
- Sucker Lake has a maximum depth of 111 feet. The lake covers 25952.96 acres.
What fish are in Sucker Lake?
- Fish species found in Sucker Lake include black crappie, bluegill, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Sucker Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
When does Sucker Lake thaw?
- Sucker Lake typically has ice-out around May 5.
Explore Sucker Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Where this data comes from
68 measurements from 16 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
MNPCA68 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (16)
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-207
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-201
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-210
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-203
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-202
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-217
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-215
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-100
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-204
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-211
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-214
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-216
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-213
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-212
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-209
- MNPCA-38-0530-00-208
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate