Anyone know what the clearest lake in MN is?

[ILLIFIED]

This is a nice little article fro Wikipedia (though its not a complete list)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakes_in_MN

You can sort the columns as well

[thedeadsea]

The mine pits on the Iron Range are very clear and have a host of stuff dumped into them. Cool to dive in.

Steve

[Black_Bay]

If you're looking for a place close to Hutch try Minne Belle. I've done a few dives there and the water clarity is pretty good.

[OakdaleFMR]

Most mid to east side scuba shops use square lake in washington county just north of Stillwater due to the clarity.

[Black_Bay]

Square has the tendency to get swimmers itch really bad at times though.

[Chef]

I'm on a private lake between Woman and Wabedo that we do 2 secchi readings on each summer and it's consistantly ranked 3-4th clearest with about 34-32 ft. clarity.

Due to no Public Access (Whew) it isn't on the regular published lists.

[Big Buck Buster]

I'm on a private lake between Woman and Wabedo that we do 2 secchi readings on each summer and it's consistantly ranked 3-4th clearest with about 34-32 ft. clarity.

Due to no Public Access (Whew) it isn't on the regular published lists.

Are any of the land owners nice enough to let some divers through their property to do some diving? I am looking for some really good lakes to get some really good vis in.

Thanks.

[caseymcq]

The mine pits near Crosby or on the Iron Range are your best bet for water clarity. They are "young" lakes that haven't had the time to collect sediment and build up biotics (algae, plankton etc) that other lakes have.

I got my PADI certification through the Minnesota School of Diving in Brainerd and we did our check out dives in the pits near Crosby. The clarity in some of the pits can be 30+ feet. The MN School of Diving Fun Dives are a good deal. When I did it they would even cook Wranglers for supper

[Big Buck Buster]

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.

Bottle Fish, are you on the mnscuba HSOforum? If you are, what is your user name on that site? Sounds like you like to go diving. I also like to go, and am looking for lakes to go diving in. Maybe we can get together and go do some diving.

[GBPackerNut]

I would call Micks Scuba over in Moorhead, MN. I believe the guys name is Duane. I talked to him two summers ago, and he sure knew alot about diving Minnesota lakes.

[Eskimoman]

I can see rocks on the bottom in 40 feet in Superior. Tough to beat that. Some cool shipwrecks to look at as well

[WaveWacker]

Bottle fish. I see you're from Hutchinson. Cleanest local lake for Scuba would be Sylvia up by French lake/Annandale. Very clear!

[WIFisher]

Mille Lacs would be cool but it sure would be scary to run into some of them big muskies and pike..

[EricD]

We've been in several of the pits in Crosby and they're great fun. Some of the shallow bays are like aquariums with sunfish on the flats and big northerns hanging on the dropoffs. In long lake in Clearwater county there was a huge northern who used to swim along side of us each time we dove. He'd come out from under the same dock each time and travel with us maybe 50 yeards. I could tell it was the same fish because of the big scar on one side of his face. We've also been in Lake Seven (in Ottertail I think) and did some wrecks in Superior. Wet suit - but it's pretty cold. We dove through the ice in in a lake in Ottertail but I can't remember the name. Crazy clear in the winter.

[caseymcq]

.. Superior. Wet suit - but it's pretty cold. ..

That made me shiver just reading that. Pretty cold is probably putting it mildly, I would imagine it is freezing flippin' cold.

[mrscott]

Tofte Lake in Lake county. Up the Fernberg Rd outside Ely. 22ft secci. Beautiful turquoise hue.

[gunning]

Where is fish lake near elysian

[EricD]

Originally Posted By: EricD

.. Superior. Wet suit - but it's pretty cold. ..

That made me shiver just reading that. Pretty cold is probably putting it mildly, I would imagine it is freezing flippin' cold.

Yes, I wouldn't recommend it if you like to do it often but we didn't know if we'd dive Superior often enough to invest in dry suits. The wrecks are really really cool, though. If you haven't done it, it's really worth the trip. We got our ice diving certification in wet suits as well. Now that was cold! But when we dove in Florida and the Bahamas the dive master would always ask where our last dive was when he or she planned the dive boat group. When we said "Lake Superior" the response was - "ok, you can go wherever you want. Just be back to the boat in an hour." Diving the lakes in Minnesota has a lot to offer. It's challenging and gives the fisherman in me a fish's eye view of things.

[knoppers]

Superior has a 60 foot secchi, the mine pits around the crosby area I have heard are great for diving, you can swim through underwater forests.

[hawkeye43]

Its half way between Mankato and Faribaule on Hwy 60, north of Elysain

[Hoffer]

Pickerel lake in OT county is pretty clear too - I know some people scuba dive that in the Winter. It is very clear - but also I have heard quite a few years back that the DNR said it was one of the top 3 cleanest lakes in MN.

[Nancy Jacobson]

June 2019

According to secchi disc readings, Eagle Lake near Battle Lake, MN is ranked #1 & Lake Six in the far north of Otter Tail County is ranked #2 w/ depth of 140 ft & clarity readings at times better than Eagle Lake.

[leech~~]

7 hours ago, Nancy Jacobson said:

June 2019

According to secchi disc readings, Eagle Lake near Battle Lake, MN is ranked #1 & Lake Six in the far north of Otter Tail County is ranked #2 w/ depth of 140 ft & clarity readings at times better than Eagle Lake.

 

Nancy, Welcome to the forum.

 

Thanks for the update. A lot of things can change in the last 10 years! 

[PurpleFloyd]

On 5/13/2009 at 9:30 PM, Eskimoman said:

I can see rocks on the bottom in 40 feet in Superior. Tough to beat that. Some cool shipwrecks to look at as well

What is your favorite spot?