Tom Lake
Cook County, Minnesota404 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Tom Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
Tom Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 404.48 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 17, 2023 caught 4.80 walleye per gill net at Tom Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–26 inches. DNR survey details →
Tom Lake is a 404-acre mesotrophic lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including burbot, lake whitefish, and walleye. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Tom Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Tom Lake covers about 400 acres in Cook County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is May 2, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Tom Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Tom Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around May 2
- Deep water35 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Tom 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 Tom Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Tom Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.1 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.1µg/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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Tom Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Tom Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (70°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 23 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Tom Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 17, 2023 caught 4.80 walleye per gill net at Tom Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Tom 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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-17 (Standard Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2023-07-17 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 13.03 | 5–10 in 2023-07-17 | 0.18 lb |
| Walleye | 3.98 | 8–26 in 2023-07-17 | 1.09 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.52 | 6–19 in 2023-07-17 | 1.8 lb |
| Northern Pike | 0.71 | 15 in 2013-07-08 | 1.14 lb |
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.
Yellow Perch
Walleye
White Sucker
Northern Pike
From the 2023-07-17 survey
Tom Lake is a 404 acre lake located approximately 7 miles northwest of Hovland. Public access is through a boat landing on the northwest side of the lake. Tom Lake part of the Lake Superior North watershed and is the headwater lake of the Swamp River. Tom Lake is primarily managed for walleye. The 2023 standard lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Tom Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TomFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Tom (1835)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — TomPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
35 ft
Surface area
404 acres
Shoreline
8.2 mi
Littoral zone
83%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
7 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,627 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Tom 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 Tom Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tom 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Tom Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
Follow Tom Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Tom Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.8 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.82 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
May 2
Earliest Apr 28, 2007 · Latest May 17, 2022
Most recent ice-out
May 17
2022
3 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Tom Lake
Where is Tom Lake?
- Tom Lake is a lake in Cook County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Tom Lake?
- Tom Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 404.48 acres.
Is Tom Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Tom Lake?
- Tom Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in October, from 23 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Tom Lake?
- Tom Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 404.48 acres.
What fish are in Tom Lake?
- Fish species found in Tom Lake include burbot, lake whitefish, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Tom Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Tom Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 17, 2023 caught 4.80 walleye per gill net at Tom Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–26 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Tom 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 Tom Lake thaw?
- Tom Lake typically has ice-out around May 2.
Are there boat ramps on Tom Lake?
- Tom Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Tom Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Tom Lake?
- Tom 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 Tom Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
6.4 mi away · 50 ft
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cook County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Tom Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Tom Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
145 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
MNPCA145 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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