Tait Lake
Tait Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 355.09 acres.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 15 ft
- Area
- 355 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- May 4
- Open water
- 198 days
Next lake in Cook County
Tait Lake is a 355-acre mesotrophic lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 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 6 documented fish species including bluegill, northern pike, and pumpkinseed. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Tait Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus level: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Tait Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tait Lake in Cook 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.
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Water Temperature
Tait Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in Oct (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 230 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Tait Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 355 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Tait LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Tait Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-24 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 152.35 | 0.22 lb |
| BNS | 28.04 | — |
| GOS | 5.89 | — |
| Walleye | 4.57 | 1.14 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.34 | 2.36 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.58 | 0.05 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.
Yellow Perch
BNS
Walleye
White Sucker
From the 2022-07-24 survey
Tait Lake is located about twelve miles north of the Town of Lutsen and is accessible via a US Forest Service administered boat launch located on the west end of the lake. The lake has been part of the MNDNR Sentinel Lakes program since 2009, which resulted in high frequency lake surveys through 2017 to provide…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Tait Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TaitFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Tait (1560)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — TaitPublic 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 | -0.169 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.63 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.28 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (28 observations).
Estimated open water season: 198 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-28 (2012) | 2013-05-17 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-09 (2014) | 2009-12-05 (2009) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-14
EPA Impairment Status
Tait Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN16-0384-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 44 lakes in Cook County
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Tait Lake
What is the water quality grade for Tait Lake?
- Tait Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 355.09 acres.
Is Tait Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Tait Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Tait Lake?
- Tait Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 230 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Tait Lake?
- Tait Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 355.09 acres.
What fish are in Tait Lake?
- Fish species found in Tait Lake include bluegill, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Tait Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
When does Tait Lake thaw?
- Tait Lake typically has ice-out around May 4. Ice typically forms around Nov 18. The open water season is approximately 198 days.
Are there boat ramps on Tait Lake?
- Tait Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Tait Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Tait 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 Cook County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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State Parks Near Tait Lake
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Where this data comes from
85 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA85 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate