Bottle Fish Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I was wondering if anyone knows what the clearest lake in Minnesota is for scuba diving purposes. It would be great to go in Minnesota and see some of our favorite species in their natural habitat and see some of their behaviors as well.Water clarity in feet?Name of lake?Location? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishwater Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Square lake in Washington county has organized diving events each summer. It has amazing clarity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Fish Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 Thank you very much fishwater. I'll look into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadsea Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 The clearest I have seen while reading the DNR Lake Finder reports is Ottertrack (21.5' on the Secchi disk), Little Knife(24'), and Knife (21') in Lake Co. It would be a little work to get scuba gear in there though. I would say north part of Superior such as around Isle Royale may be even clearer.Trout (in St Louis County) has secchi of 16' and I have heard there is some cool stuff on the bottom.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analyzer Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I don't know if it's the clearest in the state, but Square Lake in Washington County is very popular for scuba divers. It's the best in the twin cities at 16 ft water clarity.Lake Wazee (spl) in wisconsin is more clear, and very popular as well. My son scuba dives and recommends wazee as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunning Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I was on Woman for opener back a few years ago and that lake was crazy clear. It seemed like we could still see bottom in 20ft of water. I'm sure you could find a few lakes up in that area that have great water clarity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottle Fish Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 I truly can't say enough of the info you can get from this site and the members on it. Thanks to all that may respond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Otter Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Long Lake - south of Aitkin, MNFish Lake - near Elysian, MN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbymalone Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I would be surprised if it wasn't Superior. I know it has secchi disk readings of 25-30 feet on average, but I think it can go to something like 50 feet in some areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hound32 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 gotta be on the north shore of lake superior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrooks Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Elk lake in Itasca state park is really clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranger20 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 i'm pretty sure its watab lake located near st.joe,its over 100 ft deep holds a ton of trout,i know i have fished it and i could see my ancor when i was in 27 ft of water, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efgh Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Gilbert, Clearwater near Brainard mn. I was at Fish Lake near Elysian last winter when the dive team from Owatonna was on the lake, I talked to one of the members and he told me they could see about 18 feet when under the ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paceman Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Bad Medicine in Becker County is another awesome, deep, clear lake. Also Pickerel is the same. I know our local dive/rescue team practices there all the time....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave S Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Ottertail County has many lakes with clarity over 21 feet. A little Trivial Pursuit tip: Eagle Lake just south of West Battle Lake is the only lake in MN that has fresh water coral. Although I know for a fact this isn't true. Snagged some in Silver Lake (across HWY 78 from Battle Lake). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNice Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Christmas lake North of Chanhassen, 20'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddha Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Was on Mille Lacs a few winters ago and my dad dropped his glasses down the hole and you could see the shine of the frames in 25 ft of water. Couldn't tell what they were but you could tell that there was something down on the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archerystud Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 LEP is correct and OT Co has a lot of very clear lakes. If Gissert checks this thread maybe he can give us the latest reading on South Turtle. Last year he ran out of rope while doing one of his checks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRAND DAD Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Ya I was going to say Eagle in OT contry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishandFowl Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I would second Eagle in Ottertail County. This is the clearest lake I have been on (like tap water). Watab also a very clear lake.FnF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igotworms Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Ox lake north of Crosslake...DNR reading of 28+ ft...but it's a private lake, so it doesn't count , I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finlander Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Lake Sylvia (Twin Lake) by Annandale Mn. is really clear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Carrell Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 After diving in Square Lake last summer, I'm not a big fan of that lake. I don't know if it was partially due to the time of year, recent boat traffic or an algae bloom, but we had no more than 5-6' of visibility pretty much everywhere. It does have some neat sunken features though to check out if thats your type of thing. I think there are probably others though that are better later in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storm_rider_1 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 The mine pits in Crosby are really clear, and Minnesota school of diving out of brained does a lot of fun dives up there (great way to meet some other divers, and get a tour of the pits). it is the only place that i have dove where you get to swim through trees in 50 feet of water, and on one side of you is a cliff that drops to 200 and some feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crothmeier Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Belle Taine in Hubbard County, runs into Nevis, MN is crazy clear in the spring. You can see 20' down easy. good Sandbars and plenty deep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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