Whitefish Lake
Whitefish Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 242.75 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Max depth
- 18 ft
- Area
- 243 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Whitefish Lake →
Next lake in Polk County
Whitefish Lake is a 243-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Whitefish Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 28.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 44 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 28.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Whitefish Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Whitefish Lake in Polk 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Whitefish Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Whitefish Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 18 ft |
| Surface Area | 243 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 75% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Whitefish LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Whitefish Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-04 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 147.54 | 0.18 lb |
| BKF | 21.15 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 20.73 | 0.24 lb |
| GOS | 14.57 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 13.59 | 0.1 lb |
| CNM | 12.83 | — |
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
Pumpkinseed
From the 2025-08-04 survey
Whitefish Lake is 226-acres with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Blue-green algal blooms are common during most summers and dissolved oxygen can become low during severe winters leading to periodic winterkills. The last known winterkill occurred in the winter of 2017-2018. A standard survey was completed on Whitefish Lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Whitefish Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WhitefishFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Whitefish (1953)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WhitefishFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WhitefishPublic 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 | -0.051 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.28 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #11 of 19 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Whitefish Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Whitefish Lake
What is the water quality grade for Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 242.75 acres.
Is Whitefish Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Whitefish Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 28.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 242.75 acres.
What fish are in Whitefish Lake?
- Fish species found in Whitefish Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Whitefish Lake is located in Polk County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Whitefish Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Whitefish Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
90 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
MNPCA90 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 (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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory