Upper Sucker Lake
Upper Sucker Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 112.96 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 60°F
- Max depth
- 25 ft
- Area
- 113 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Cass County
Upper Sucker Lake is a 113-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Upper Sucker Lake ranks #78 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-10. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 10.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Upper Sucker Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Upper Sucker Lake in Cass 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
Upper Sucker Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 58°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 60°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 203 field readings (2023–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Upper Sucker Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 25 ft |
| Surface Area | 113 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 39% |
| 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 Upper Sucker Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-04 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 21.52 | 0.26 lb |
| CNM | 13.97 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 11.36 | 0.16 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.83 | 0.26 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.49 | 1.4 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.99 | 3.31 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Northern Pike
From the 2021-06-04 survey
Upper Sucker Lake is 113-acre lake is located approximately nine miles east of Cass Lake, Minnesota. The lake has 4.2 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 25 feet. There is a US Forest Service owned earthen boat access on the channel between Middle Sucker and Upper Sucker lakes. The access is suitable for small…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Upper 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 — Upper SuckerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.54 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.7 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #78 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Sucker Lake
What is the water quality grade for Upper Sucker Lake?
- Upper Sucker Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 112.96 acres.
Is Upper Sucker Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Upper Sucker Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Upper Sucker Lake?
- Upper Sucker Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August, from 203 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Upper Sucker Lake?
- Upper Sucker Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 112.96 acres.
What fish are in Upper Sucker Lake?
- Fish species found in Upper Sucker Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Upper Sucker Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
78 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX48 samples · 2023–2024 - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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