Features like abundant shoreline vegetation characterize late mesotrophic lakes, stained water, shallow soft-bottomed bays, minimal to no rock structure, and a main basin that's dominated by clay and mud where there once was sand, gravel, or hardpan. Eutrophic lakes are even older and more fertile. Their clarity ranges from stained to murky and water deeper than 20 to 25 feet is rare. They feature flat weedy shorelines and usually a bay or channel that fades into a marsh. Eutrophic lakes commonly occur in agricultural areas and bog-country.
Littoral zones breathe life into a lake.
A lake's oxygen production and basis for a food chain originates from a vegetated littoral zone. Booming littoral zones are critical to bearing big bluegills. Quality lake maps reveal enough clues to determine if a particular lake falls into our definition. But you can take lake-selection a step further by consulting with DNR surveys. In Minnesota, the Department of Natural Resources keeps detailed catch, netting, and stocking information on most lakes.